Tooth-Colored Fillings

Tooth-colored fillings have come to all but replace traditional amalgam fillings. Also known as composite fillings, tooth-colored fillings are made to match the exact color of your natural enamel so no one can see your fillings, not even you! Tribeca Dental Studio proudly offers tooth-colored fillings in NYC for the best esthetics and dental structure preservation.

Why Are Dental Fillings Important?

When a tooth has decay, a hole begins to form, which if left untreated, is a perfect little home for bacteria. That bacteria leads to more decay. When you get a filling, you’re accomplishing a several very important things:

Removing the decay
Protecting the tooth
Strengthening the tooth
Restoring full function to the tooth
Relieving or preventing pain
Improving the appearance of your smile

We always want to address cavities as soon as possible, since waiting can lead to more serious problems like the dreaded root canal. Naturally, we always look for signs of cavities in your exams. But, if you ever see or feel anything worrisome between exams, please reach out right away so we can nip it in the bud!

Are Tooth-Colored Fillings Better than Silver?

We think so! All things come with pros and cons, but here are our favorite pros about tooth-colored fillings:

Composite fillings don’t expand and contract with temperature the way silver, or amalgam, fillings are known to do. This reduces the risk of a tooth fracturing.
Since composite fillings are tooth-colored, no one can tell you have fillings. They look like your natural teeth.
Composite, tooth-colored fillings directly bond to your tooth, which means the dentist can leave more of your original tooth structure in place. The more tooth structure we can leave, the stronger it will be.
While the risk of mercury exposure from amalgam fillings is low, composite fillings do offer the benefit of being mercury-free.
Conservative composite restorations can be performed without the need for drilling, using an Er:yag laser that not only removes decay, but also disinfects the enamel and prepares it for strong bonding.

What Are Tooth-Colored Fillings Made Of?

Composite fillings are so-called because they’re a composite of acrylic resin and powdered glass, the latter acting as a filler. They’re safe, BPA-free and non-toxic.