Tooth-Colored Fillings – State College, PA
The Seamless Way to Treat Cavities
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 91% of American adults have had a cavity at some point in their lives. In the old days, your only option for cavity treatment was for your dentist to carve out a portion of your tooth and place a noticeable piece of metal in it, which left a dark stain in your smile. Recently, dental technology has evolved to create a more aesthetically pleasing alternative – tooth-colored fillings from our State College, PA dentist. Dr. Kevin Labosky uses these kinds of fillings to seamlessly heal your teeth without drawing attention to the fact that you had a cavity. To learn more about how tooth-colored fillings can benefit you, contact your dentist in State College today!
Why Choose Kevin P. Labosky, DMD for Tooth-Colored Fillings?
- Designed to Blend in With Natural Enamel
- Quick, Painless, and Effective Restorative Solution
- Highly Experienced Dentist and Team
What Are Tooth-Colored Fillings Made Of?
Tooth-colored fillings utilize a putty-like material called composite resin that’s made of fine glass and acrylic particles. As the name implies, this substance can be customized to blend in with the color of your existing enamel to give your decayed tooth a flawless appearance. Additionally, instead of simply being placed inside the tooth, the resin tightly seals to the enamel, blocking the tooth from further damage. This same material can also be used in a cosmetic procedure called direct bonding, in which cracked or broken teeth are built up to their full structure.
Benefits of Tooth-Colored Fillings
Nowadays, the vast majority of dentists use composite resin rather than metal to heal teeth that have been damaged by decay. The most obvious reason for this is that the composite resin can be color-matched to resemble the exact shade of your smile, blending in seamlessly. Some of the other benefits include:
- Less enamel has to be removed to make room for the resin compared to metal fillings, allowing you to keep more of your natural tooth structure.
- The resin chemically bonds with the tooth, leading to strong and long-lasting repair.
- Unlike metal fillings, tooth-colored fillings contain zero mercury.
- Metal fillings seep into the enamel over time, creating a permanent dark stain. Tooth-colored fillings will not discolor your tooth.
- Tooth-colored fillings more effectively block the nerves in the center of your tooth, resulting in less sensitivity.
The Process of Receiving Tooth-Colored Fillings
To begin the procedure, Dr. Labosky will administer a local anesthetic so that your mouth will be completely numb during the process. You may experience slight pressure, but you shouldn’t feel pain. He will then remove the decayed enamel from your tooth and thoroughly sanitize the area. Layer by layer, he applies the composite resin until the cavity is completely filled and the tooth is built back up to its original structure. He’ll shine an ultraviolet curing light on your tooth to harden the material within seconds. After checking your bite and making any final adjustments as needed, he’ll polish the tooth and you’ll be all done!
