Dental fillings can consist of composite (tooth-colored), porcelain, metal, and more. Pediatric dentists use traditional and tooth-colored fillings to close small holes in the teeth, commonly caused by cavities (extremely common in children). The dentist will extract decayed tissues and replace them with one of these filling materials. Dental fillings usually last many years before the chosen material needs replacement; however, the number may vary based on dental habits such as tooth grinding or even the loss of baby teeth.
Tooth-colored fillings are becoming more popular and replacing traditional silver fillings for teeth. Instead of metal and other materials commonly found in older styles of dental fillings, tooth-colored fillings consist of composite resin materials. These fillings come with several benefits.
Since tooth-colored fillings blend with natural teeth, they are less noticeable than the traditional variety. This often offers children, especially teens, more confidence in their smiles because they do not have to worry about their peers noticing a color difference. This is one reason many prefer fillings that match their teeth, especially if the filling goes into a tooth near the front of the mouth or another more prominent location.
Tooth-colored fillings bind with the teeth better than older metal fillings, which helps maintain the teeth' natural structure. Especially true for silver amalgam fillings, portions of the tooth that are still healthy often need to be removed along with decayed portions to make room for the filling. Composite fillings require less enamel removal, leaving the healthy material of the tooth intact. Maintaining the structure of the teeth and mouth can help prevent future oral health problems, such as issues with biting, speaking, and the shifting of surrounding teeth.
In addition to packing holes caused by cavities, the dentist may use composite fillings to repair teeth that have been broken, chipped, or worn down due to teeth grinding or chewing on hard foods. For example, if a child has chipped teeth along with some holes due to cavities, a dentist who uses tooth-colored fillings can fix chipped teeth as well as treat the cavities in the same procedure. Ultimately, the material used to fill the cavities will match the material used to repair other issues, which is more aesthetically pleasing than using two different materials.
When children receive a tooth-colored filling, they avoid the small amount of mercury that silver amalgam fillings contain. Although silver fillings have largely proven safe by the FDA, avoiding them can still lead to greater peace of mind for individuals concerned with their child having slightly toxic material in their mouths.
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We hope you have found this article helpful. Consult our pediatric dentist if your child has a cavity, chips, or cracks in their teeth or if you are interested in learning more about tooth-colored fillings.
Request an appointment or call Grand Parkway Pediatric Dental at 832-579-0960 for an appointment in our Richmond office.
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