Tooth-Colored Fillings – Allentown, PA

Try as we might to keep our smiles healthy, cavities are a common part of life. In the past, the only way to repair tooth decay was with shiny metal fillings that left a noticeable silver blob in your beautiful smile. Nowadays, Dr. Bradford Young can repair cavities while preserving your smile’s appearance with tooth-colored fillings in Allentown! If you’re looking for a safe, esthetically-pleasing way to get your oral health back on track, don’t hesitate to call us today!

What Are Tooth-Colored Fillings Made of?

Tooth-colored fillings are crafted from a strong, biocompatible, and customizable composite resin. Unlike traditional metal fillings that are made from an amalgam of silver and mercury, tooth-colored fillings are created from a mixture of plastics, ceramics, and other particles that won’t irritate your teeth, gums, or soft tissues. This gives them reliable durability and a lifelike appearance, making them a great choice for filling small to medium cavities in either the front or back of your mouth. 

How Are Tooth-Colored Fillings Placed?

Most tooth-colored fillings can be placed in one quick, easy trip to your Allentown dentist. First, to ensure you’re as comfortable as possible during your treatment, we’ll use local anesthetic to numb that area of your mouth. Next, we’ll carefully remove all the damaged and decay tissues from your enamel. Once the area is completely clean and healthy, a special solution is applied. This will help your tooth-colored filling form a strong bond with your enamel and stay in place.

Then, we’ll select a shade of composite resin that looks just like the color of your teeth. We’ll fill the prepared space with it and sculpt it into place. To solidify the putty-like resin, we’ll use a special curing light to quickly harden it and speed up the bonding process. After Dr. Young polishes your filling and ensures your bite feels comfortable, you’ll be ready to enjoy your beautiful, healthy smile!

What Are the Benefits of Tooth-Colored Fillings?

Tooth-colored fillings offer an array of benefits that make them a popular choice among both patients and dentists alike, including:

• Beautifully lifelike appearance: Composite resin can be shaded to match your personal smile, allowing your new filling to blend in seamlessly with the rest of your pearly whites.
• Preserves more enamel than amalgam fillings: Since composite resin is malleable and can easily bond to natural tooth structure, less enamel has to be removed in order for it to fit properly.
• Won’t react to hot or cold temperatures: Unlike metal fillings, composite resin won’t damage your tooth by expanding or shrinking when exposed to very hot or very cold temperatures.
• Safe, biocompatible, and mercury-free: Tooth-colored fillings are 100% mercury-free and offer an ideal solution for those with allergies or sensitivities to metal materials.
• Lasting lifespan: A thorough daily dental routine and biannual checkups with your dentist can easily keep your tooth-colored filling in great shape for 10-15 years or longer!

Do you need to have a cavity repaired, or are interested in replacing your metal fillings with tooth-colored ones? Give us a call today so we can help you get back to enjoying your happy, healthy, and beautiful smile!