Composite Fillings
When it comes to dental fillings, composite resin is the material of choice for both dentist and patient. Composite fillings not only offer a more aesthetically pleasing option, but they are also considered safer and more conservative than amalgam fillings used in the past. As a leading biomimetic dentist in Beverly Hills, Dr. Nejad values treatment options that preserve more healthy tooth structure while also providing more natural-looking results. Composite fillings undoubtedly accomplish both.
Composite fillings are custom crafted from a resin-based material that is a tooth-colored plastic mixture that mimics your natural tooth in appearance, feel and function. They can repair an area of decay, but composite resin can also be used to improve minor cosmetic tooth flaws, such as chips, small gaps and discoloration. When placed properly, a composite filling can offer the following invaluable benefits over silver fillings:
- Ideal Aesthetics – blends seamlessly within your smile for more natural results
- Durability – they typically last longer than amalgam fillings and the bonding works to strengthen the weakened tooth and prevent cracking
- Conservative – less tooth removal required to place the filling and more preservation of healthy tooth structure
- Prevents Future Decay – smooth and bonded margins mean less plaque accumulation and less chance for future cavities
- Easily Repaired – any chips can be fixed with simple surface roughening and additional composite
Mercury-Free Dentistry
Our holistic dental team is proud to use composite fillings as a superior restoration technique. In doing so, we are able to provide mercury-free dentistry, as small amounts of mercury are found in silver fillings and this has been a safety concern for many patients. At our Beverly Hills practice, we not only provide a safer choice in dental fillings, but we can also replace your existing amalgam fillings when needed. Fillings need to be replaced if they exhibit poor margins, gaps, recurrent decay, overhangs, chipped surfaces or cracks in the teeth.
Beyond the mercury content found in amalgam fillings, patients may also encounter several other drawbacks to this filling option. Since amalgam fillings are not bonded to your teeth, they do not work to strengthen the affected tooth like composite does. Therefore, it is common to see silver fillings that crack, leak or cause fractures in the tooth due to the wedged forces it produces on the surrounding cusp tips. Finally, mercury fillings often require excessive removal of healthy tooth structure to accommodate the depth and size of the amalgam material.
If you are looking for a conservative, more natural solution to repair your cavity, please contact us today. We can help you learn more about composite fillings and our commitment to mercury-free dentistry in Beverly Hills. You’ll find that Dr. Nejad is unrivaled in his techniques, as he uses advanced methods in adhesive dentistry to place highly successful composite fillings.