Cosmetic Dentistry: Part Two

We all have a thing or two about ourselves that we would like to change or improve. Some people may want longer hair, smaller feet, or maybe the perfect smile! It is perfectly okay to want to make changes here and there to satisfy your personal wants.

In this series of Cosmetic Dentistry, we will talk about teeth whitening, white fillings, smile makeovers, porcelain veneers, and dental bonding.

Before Dr. Angart begins cosmetic dentistry, it is important that we do a thorough examination of your teeth and gums. Having a healthy foundation and environment for your new cosmetic dentistry is the key to keeping it for a lifetime.

For a review of Part One: Teeth Whitening – click this link.

Part Two: White Fillings

We can replace unattractive, metallic fillings with tooth-colored ones. White fillings can be made of a white resin or of a highly durable ceramic that not only looks more like your natural teeth, it restores the strength of your teeth.

Most people at some point in their life have at least one filling. Dental fillings are used to repair cavities in your tooth caused by cavities. Fillings using high-quality dental porcelain help restore tooth function and protect your tooth from further damage by bacteria. While the concept of filling cavities with other materials is almost as old as dentistry itself, the types of materials have advanced significantly over the years. At New Albany Smiles in New Albany, Ohio, we use the most up-to-date materials for our fillings and other restorations, including dental composite material and dental porcelain, as well as the latest approaches to ensuring patient comfort including LASER and sedation dentistry.

Metal amalgam containing mercury used to be the material of choice for its malleability and low cost to manufacture. Our cosmetic dentist, Dr. Jeffrey L. Angart, prefers tooth-colored composite and white fillings that are aesthetically appealing and mercury-free. If you currently have mercury amalgam fillings, we can replace those old bits of metal with more attractive white fillings quickly and easily.

Advantages of White Fillings

Many dentists use composite fillings because they can be directly applied during an initial visit. Dr. Jeffrey L. Angart takes your overall smile into consideration and will help you determine the best material for your smile. You may want a quick fix, or you may prefer the look and function of porcelain. Ceramic porcelain has many advantages over both amalgam and composite fillings, including:

• Translucent quality
• Strength
• Non-porous material
• Esthetics

Mercury amalgam fillings, especially if you have more than one, can seriously detract from your smile. Their silver color does not blend well with your natural teeth. Composite fillings, on the other hand, lack the shiny luster of porcelain but is still much more attractive than metal. Composite fillings are also porous and may dim over time, while porcelain is smooth and stays strong.

Our restorative goal is to return your teeth as close as possible to their original appearance, function, strength, and longevity. In general, we recommend composite fillings for small cavities. For fillings larger than a third of the tooth, and fillings that involve the points (cusps) of the tooth, we recommend porcelain fillings. Often, the size of the filling–and whether we have to do a porcelain crown to protect your tooth–may have to be determined at the time we prepare the tooth.