If you’ve ever had to treat a cavity, or know someone who has, then you may be familiar with a dental filling. If the cavity was treated years ago, then there’s a good chance that the filling was made from silver amalgam—the dental filling material of choice for over a century. Amalgam makes for a durable, inexpensive solution to treat a decaying tooth, but as Dr. Leibowitz knows, it’s far from a perfect solution. Learn how today’s white fillings differ from traditional amalgam, and how your Astoria dentist can treat your tooth decay without making it obvious when you open your mouth.
What is a Dental Filling?
The science behind a dental filling is pretty direct. When infection reaches your tooth’s main structure, called dentin, saving the tooth requires the removal of the decayed material. Since your permanent teeth cannot repair or regrow themselves, your tooth can become structurally weak after this removal. A dental filling is a manmade material that is used to replace the excavated portion of your tooth, reinforcing it against the pressures of use and sealing the tooth’s vulnerable insides from further infection.
Silver Amalgam vs. White Composite Resin
Introduced to America in the late 1800s, silver amalgam quickly gained popularity as an affordable alternative to the precious metals commonly used during the time, such as gold. Though concerns were raised because of the trace amount of mercury in amalgam, experts have since deemed the mixture of metals harmless for healthy patients. Safety aside, however, amalgam fillings are subject to the properties of metal, such as contracting and expanding with extreme temperature changes. Such changes in your filling can damage your inflexible tooth structure and create spaces between the filling and your tooth, potentially allowing bacteria to reenter the structure and once again lead to tooth decay. By contrast, white fillings are crafted from special composite resin, which bonds to your tooth’s surfaces for a more complete and effective seal against subsequent infection. Composite resin can also be dyed to match your tooth’s natural color, allowing your white filling to blend in seamlessly with the rest of your smile.
Keep Your Dental Work Discrete with White Fillings in Astoria
If your tooth is afflicted with decay and you’d like to learn more about the benefits of white fillings, then call our Astoria dentist’s office to schedule a dental consultation with Dr. Leibowitz. You can contact us by calling (718) 728-8320. Located in the 11106 area, we proudly serve patients from Astoria, Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the surrounding communities.
