Old dental fillings can affect the appearance of your smile and cause tooth pain. We provide white dental fillings treatment at Coastal General Dentistry in Virginia Beach, VA. Our dental care team can also replace old dark fillings for an instant smile makeover and improved oral health.
Dental fillings are a general dental service that we offer for patients with cavities and tooth decay. Dental fillings are a relatively simple procedure completed in one visit. They play an important role in the long-term maintenance of your mouth by preserving your tooth.
The main reasons why we provide fillings is to repair cavities and save your tooth from extraction. Cavities are pits or holes in the tooth enamel caused by harmful bacteria. The harmful bacteria feed on food debris. Their digestive acids break down the tooth enamel and create holes in the teeth.
Patients with severe cavities or decay that is affecting the tooth pulp will need a root canal treatment. A dentist can remove the infection from within the tooth.
However, you can prevent the need for a root canal procedure by getting a simple dental filling. Visit our Virginia Beach dental office before the tooth pain gets worse! Continue reading to learn more about our tooth-colored fillings, the process, the benefits and more.
The Benefits of Dental Fillings in Virginia Beach
Dental fillings have many advantages for our patients. One advantage is long-lasting results. Some of the benefits of repairing a cavity with a composite resin filling include the following:
- Seal out tooth decay while improving aesthetics. White composite fillings can bring back the beauty of a decayed tooth. This will improve the overall look of your smile and hide the fact that you have a filling.
- Minimize breakage and strengthen the tooth. Fillings help restore a tooth to its natural shape. This helps to prevent the tooth from breaking and damage it more from further decay.
- Improve tooth function and comfort. Fillings help prevent sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks. Decay can cause pain when eating or drinking, but a new cavity filling can prevent this discomfort.
- Less invasive treatment. Fillings provide a more conservative dental treatment option than a crown or root canal. This means less disruption to healthy tooth tissue, and a quicker turnaround time.
Please contact our office if you notice severe tooth pain, sensitivity, or other signs of tooth decay. Additionally, we can replace any broken or old filling.
Types of Dental Fillings
Dentists can use several types of dental fillings to restore and repair your teeth. The choice of filling compound depends on some factors. Elements such as the location and extent of the decay, aesthetic preferences, and your budget can have an effect. The following are the different types of dental fillings dentists can use to repair cavities and protect your teeth.
- Gold: Cast gold fillings are a durable option for patients. Dentists typically place gold fillings on the back molars. However, gold dental fillings do not match the rest of the teeth.
- Silver Metal: Like gold fillings, silver amalgam fillings protect the back molars. Although silver metal fillings are less costly than other options, the color does not match natural tooth enamel. Metal fillings can also contain mercury, a substance that is toxic when ingested in large amounts.
- Composite: These dental fillings can repair cavities and also cracked or damaged teeth. We can color-match composite dental fillings to the rest of your teeth.
- Porcelain: Made of porcelain ceramic, these fillings can last over 15 years with the right care. Additionally, like composite fillings, porcelain fillings blend in with the shade of natural teeth.
Treatment with Dental Fillings
Prior to treatment, Dr. Sinclair will apply a local anesthetic to your affected tooth. You may request dental sedation so you will not feel any discomfort during the dental filling procedure. Typically, patients require fillings after a root canal procedure. A root canal procedure removes infected pulp within the tooth chamber.
Next, Dr. Sinclair will clean your mouth and around the tooth cavities he is treating. Next, he will clean out the infected tissue from the tooth cavity using special tools. He will make sure that he only leaves healthy tooth enamel.
After he fully disinfects and cleans the teeth, Dr. Sinclair will fill the tooth using your filling material of choice. He will often recommend white composite fillings, or fillings that blend in with the color of the rest of your teeth. Composite or porcelain fillings are the most common white fillings. These dental fillings not only look natural but also provide durability to teeth and prevent reinfection.
Finally, after filling the tooth, he will polish it and make sure it looks like he did nothing to it! Best of all, no one will know that you have a filling. You will likely forget about it in the future because of its natural look. If you have dental insurance, it may cover the cost of your dental filling procedure.
Contact Our Dental Office for Dental Fillings
Do you have pits or cavities in your tooth enamel and need a dental filling? Schedule a dental consultation with our dental team on our website. You can also call our dental office today at 757-216-9914.
Ask us any questions you have about your current symptoms and treatment options. Schedule an appointment and we will gladly answer your questions at your next dental visit.