A filling is commonly necessary for the well-being of your teeth. They are done when there is decay in a tooth, if a chunk of it is broken, for cosmetic concerns, and when old dental fillings have gone south.
Composite Fillings
Composite fillings blend in with your teeth, and are the kind of filling offered at Boulder Dental Arts. They are tooth colored and biologically very inert. They are made from a composite resin that is durable and resists fracture in small- to mid-sized fillings. In comparison to metal fillings, you’ll notice that composite fillings blend in with your teeth, making it nearly impossible to tell that you’ve had a filling.
Metal Fillings
There are a few different types of materials for a filling. The old ‘silver’ filling you might have in your mouth is an amalgamation of mercury, tin, silver, and a bunch of other stuff. There’s a great deal of debate out there over the safety of this material. We won’t take an official stance on them, but you are encouraged to do your own research and make your own judgement. We do not routinely tell patients to just remove them for the sake of it. However we have seen dramatic changes in patient’s health when they’ve been diagnosed with heavy metal toxicity and they’ve replaced their metal fillings. Just sayin’. We don’t place metal fillings in our office.
Tooth Sensitivity
Any time a filling is placed you can become sensitive in the tooth. The deeper the filling the greater the chance. At Boulder Dental Arts we mitigate this by placing a material called gluma under our fillings. The gluma gently soothes the pulp and we’ve had great success since incorporating it into our dental procedures.
Replacement Dental Fillings
Fillings don’t last forever! Eventually all fillings will need to be replaced. Over the years and decades they are battling food and drinks, and perhaps teeth clenching and grinding. So it is very common to need replacements here and there. It’s important to have your regular dental appointments, as old, failing fillings can be an access point for bacteria into your tooth. This can lead to more cavities and dental issues. Regular dental appointments let us check your old fillings to make sure they are in good condition.
If you have questions about dental fillings at Boulder Dental Arts, give us a call at 720-627-5773. Click here to go back to the Services page.