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Tooth-Colored Fillings

Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra, Oakleaf, Orange Park

Tooth-colored fillings have been steadily replacing metal fillings in recent years because they are more effective in restoring a decayed tooth and they look much nicer. Whether you need a new filling or want to replace old mercury amalgam fillings, Dr. Blankenship can help.

The beauty of white fillings

Metal fillings are very noticeable, and people see them even when they are in back teeth. Over time they tarnish and turn dark and can also stain your teeth. Tooth-colored fillings are made to perfectly match the color of your teeth and are barely detectable as fillings.

Advantages of tooth-colored fillings

White fillings promote the tooth’s health and strengthen it. Silver amalgam fillings will eventually fracture your teeth and they can allow food particles and other substances to get inside the tooth, causing further decay.

Amalgam fillings contain mercury which expands and contracts with heat and cold. That is why it was used for thermometers. This means your fillings expand and contract when you eat and drink hot and cold foods and beverages. When a filling expands inside the tooth, it can crack that tooth. When it contracts, it is not forming a good seal.

Cracks caused by metal fillings are not always obvious, but they can be painful, especially when chewing, and will lead to more decay and damage. Over time your tooth may become so weak that a dental crown is needed to save it. Cracks that extend into the root may require the tooth to be removed. Replacing the old filling and repairing the crack can save the tooth and prevent future expense and more in-depth procedures.

In contrast, the dental composite used for white fillings is fully biocompatible and because it is bonded to the tooth structure, it strengthens the tooth. It is not just packed into the cavity like amalgam. By being bonded to the tooth, it exerts inward pressure, holding the tooth together strongly. A metal filling exerts outward pressure, increasing the danger of a fracture and even tooth loss.

Tooth-colored filling options

Dr. Blankenship can give you white fillings in two different ways:

He can use a form of dental bonding, a paste applied incrementally to the tooth, then hardened and polished; or
He can use dental porcelain, a hard, glass-like substance that is made to the right shape before being applied to your tooth. Most cosmetic dentists work with a dental laboratory for porcelain restorations but Dr. Blankenship has CEREC technology. His CEREC technician can mill porcelain inlays, onlays, and crowns from a block of porcelain matched to your tooth color. Please see Porcelain Dental Inlays and Onlays for more information.

Replacing old fillings

You do not need to keep your old metal fillings. Most metal fillings last an average of 12-15 years and then begin breaking down. This leads to cavities under the filling. Dr. Blankenship can replace them with white fillings, either porcelain or dental composite. This can be a standalone procedure or part of your smile makeover. He will carefully clean out all the mercury and decay found beneath the filling before applying the new white filling.

Please contact our Ponte Vedra and Oakleaf, Jacksonville, Florida area office today to schedule your complimentary cosmetic consultation and learn more about new fillings and filling replacement.