Fillings

THE TREATMENT PROCESS

The process of receiving a tooth-colored filling is simple, fast, and virtually painless. In most cases, Dr. Kinder and Dr. Whitaker can complete a filling in less than an hour.

1. Examining Your Smile: In order to determine whether you have symptoms of a cavity, we will begin each consultation by performing a visual exam and imaging. This will allow us to assess the exact location of a cavity and administer the appropriate treatment. If the cavity has progressed too far, you may need root canal therapy. Otherwise, a filling should suffice.
2. Preparing The Tooth: To ensure your comfort, we will begin the procedure by numbing the treatment site with a local anesthetic. We will then remove the decayed part of the tooth and clean the remaining tooth structure.
3. Placing The Filling: We will then place the composite resin inside of the remaining space and use a special light to cure the resin in place. We will reshape and polish the surface of your filling as needed to make sure it looks and feels great. Before you leave our office, we will ask you to bite down several times to make sure the filling does not disrupt the function of your smile.Unlike traditional metal fillings, tooth-colored fillings are ready for use immediately after placement, so you can eat and drink without delay after leaving our office.The process of receiving a tooth-colored filling is simple, fast, and virtually painless. In most cases, Dr. Kinder and Dr. Whitaker can complete a filling in less than an hour.

TOOTH-COLORED FILLINGS HAVE MANY BENEFITS

Tooth-colored fillings have several benefits over amalgam fillings, including:

• More natural-looking: While traditional metal fillings stand out against the whiteness of your teeth, composite resin comes in several shades that closely match the color of your natural teeth, making them virtually unnoticeable.
• Metal-free: Many patients are hesitant about treating their cavities because they do not want to introduce metal amalgam to their smiles. Composite resin is a great, metal-free, bio-friendly alternative.
• More stable: Where amalgam expands and shrinks when it is exposed to different temperatures, composite resin stays intact and does not change shape over time.
• More conservative: In most cases, tooth-colored fillings require less enamel removal that metal fillings, allowing you to keep as much of your natural tooth structure as possible.

In general, fillings are a cost-effective treatment option. By choosing to receive a filling now rather than waiting until your cavity gets worse, you can save time and money on more invasive, expensive restorative dental treatments, such as dental crowns or implants.

If you have a damaged tooth, or if you have had a crown come loose, contact our practice for an appointment today.