Dealing with cavity? Find out how a tooth-colored filling can help.
When it comes to restoring a tooth after a cavity our Columbia, SC, dentist Dr. Kris O’Neill understands just how important it is to be able to 
repair the damaged tooth with something that will look just like real tooth enamel so you won’t even notice it. That’s why we are proud to offer tooth-colored dental fillings to our patients who are dealing with cavities.
What is a tooth-colored filling?
Once the decay has been drilled away from the tooth, the tooth is now just a bit weaker than it once was. Therefore, our Columbia, SC, restorative dentist will need to place a dental filling to fill the areas that have been drilled away to improve the resiliency of the tooth as well as its appearance.
To do this, we will apply a tooth-colored dental filling to the area. This dental filling is usually made from composite resin, a special material that can be molded and shaped over areas of the tooth to rebuild it. Composite resin is the same material used in dental bonding to cover discolorations, chips, and even small gaps between teeth.
How is a tooth-colored filling placed?
Once we have fully removed the decayed areas of the tooth it’s now time to rebuild the tooth. This involves several steps:
- Choose the proper shade of tooth-colored resin. Composite resin comes in different shades of white to accommodate all different smiles. We will need to match the resin before we apply it.
- Next, we will apply a thin layer of the tooth-colored material over the tooth and contour, shape, and trim the material.
- Once the layer is shaped we will use a special curing light to harden the resin layer to the tooth. Then the process of applying a new layer, shaping it and then hardened it to the tooth will continue until the tooth has been fully rebuilt.
- The restored tooth is given a final polish.
What are the benefits of tooth-colored fillings?
Getting a tooth-colored filling in Columbia, SC, ensures that you fully restore a tooth after it’s been damaged by decay, which will improve the longevity of your tooth. Tooth-colored fillings, as we mentioned, are designed to blend in with your tooth so you won’t even notice them. Finally, this type of dental filling does not use any metal amalgam, which means that the restoration is completely mercury-free.
Do you have questions about tooth-colored fillings? Need to schedule a routine cleaning? Whatever you need, our Columbia, SC, dentist is here to help. Call us today to book your next visit with us.