To begin, let’s first talk about Amalgam fillings. Sometimes referred to as “silver or metal colored fillings,” an Amalgam filling is a stable alloy made by combining elemental mercury, silver, tin, copper and possibly other metallic elements. Constant pressure from chewing, grinding or clenching can cause dental fillings, or restorations, to wear away, chip or crack. You may not be able to tell that your filling is wearing down; however it is important to understand if the seal between the tooth enamel and the restoration breaks down, food particles and decay-causing bacteria can work their way under the restoration. You then run the risk of developing additional decay in that tooth. Decay that is left untreated can progress to infect the dental pulp and may cause an abscess. If the restoration is large or the recurrent decay is extensive, there may not be enough tooth structure remaining to support a replacement filling, which would then require a crown. Therefore it is very important to have your regular checkups to avoid such situations.
If it is deemed necessary to replace an old amalgam filling, one great new option is a Composite filling. Also known as a white filling, a composite filling is a mixture of glass or quartz filler in a resin medium that produces a tooth-colored filling. Composite fillings provide good durability and resistance to fracture in small-to-mid sized restorations that need to withstand moderate chewing pressure. Less tooth structure is removed, and this may result in a smaller filling than that of an Amalgam. Composites can also be “bonded” or adhesively held in a cavity, often allowing a more conservative repair to the tooth.
Composite fillings are more than just attractive and they have distinct advantages over other types of fillings especially metal ones. Composite fillings are environmentally non-toxic because they use no mercury. They are stronger because they bond directly to the surface of the tooth. They protect the tooth from fracturing because they don’t require the severe “undercut” (removal of healthy tooth structure) of mercury fillings.
At Bridgeport Aesthetic Dentistry we use the latest technology in the field of dentistry, including all white Composite fillings, Digital x-rays, Intra Oral Camera, all in a modern state of the art dental office.
For a free consultation, simply call our office, and our friendly staff will take care of everything else. For your convenience, we offer morning, evening and weekend appointments.
We look forward to meeting you and your family.
Bridgeport Aesthetic Dentistry is conveniently located inside the Bridgeport Market Place, at the corner of Newhall Ranch Road and McBean Parkway at 24001 Newhall Ranch Road, Suite 200 in Valencia. For more information, please call 661-222-9229.