Composite Fillings: Combining Beauty, Strength, and Durability
The dentist in Leesburg, VA offers numerous restorative procedures to repair damaged teeth. Of all the dental restorations, composite fillings are widely used for the many benefits that they offer. They have successfully replaced traditional amalgam restorations and helped dentists restore mild to moderate tooth cavities, offering long-lasting, and durable outcomes.
Let us explore composite fillings in detail to determine if they are the right choice of treatment for your oral needs and expectations.
Indications of composite fillings
Composite fillings are used to restore:
- Chipped or cracked teeth
- Teeth with diastema (space or gaps in between your teeth)
- Dental decay in the visible areas of your mouth
- Teeth that are worn out due to attrition (aging), increased masticatory forces, or bruxism (involuntary, persistent clenching and grinding of the teeth)
| A composite filling is a type of dental material, made of a plastic resin mixed with a powdered glass filler. The filling is placed within the cleaned and prepared tooth surface, and hardened by a light-cured special glue. The material hardens through a process called polymerization. These aesthetic fillings help restore tooth structure lost due to caries, cracks, or fractures. |
Benefits of composite fillings
You can expect the following benefits offered by composite fillings:
- Are aesthetically superior: Composite fillings are tooth-colored restorations and easily blend with your natural tooth structure offering superior aesthetics.
- Directly bond to the tooth enamel: Composite fillings bond directly to the enamel surface through microblogging and polymerization, thus establishing a stronger seal.
- Do not contain mercury: Mercury is toxic and can harm the body when ingested. Unlike amalgam restorations, composite fillings do not contain mercury.
- Preserve the natural tooth structure: Composite fillings do not require extensive tooth preparation. This preserves most of the tooth structure, integrity, strength, and resilience.
- Easy and quick procedure: Composite fillings are quick and painless procedures that usually take 10 to 15 minutes.
- Are stain-resistant: The resin in composite filling does not stain the teeth, making it stain-resistant.
- Protect from dental caries: Composite fillings contain fluorides that help prevent the development of caries in the future. Fluorides reverse tooth decay by a process called remineralization.
- Excellent durability and strength: The composite material hardens through polymerization, improving composites’ strength and resilience.
Composite fillings, renowned for their natural appearance and durability, have become the preferred choice in cosmetic dentistry. Surpassing traditional silver fillings with numerous benefits, they symbolize the forefront of dental innovation.
