Dental Fillings

If it's been a while, 10 or more years, since you needed a filling, you may be surprised to find out that a lot has changed. Dentists no longer use the classic "black" fillings. Instead, a tooth-colored composite resin is used. Why the change? Each dentist has their own rationale for switching from amalgam to composite resin. Composite resin fillings are just as good as amalgam fillings, but where they excel is that they look natural. 

Over time as the metal (amalgam) is exposed to different temperatures, it expands and contracts resulting in cracks in the tooth and surrounding teeth. A cracked tooth can cause pain and be extremely susceptible to tooth decay. In an effort to protect the patient's oral health and prevent tooth decay, dentists have made the transition to composite resin fillings that do not change in size. This means that the tooth that needs sealing and the surrounding teeth are not damaged. Composite resin fillings require fewer appointments and so can be completed in just a few minutes depending on how much decay is present in the tooth. After placing a resin filling, there are virtually no restrictions. Patients can eat whatever they want without having to follow strict guidelines.

Some of the other reasons we made the switch from amalgam fillings to composite resin fillings include:

1. Fewer stains: Amalgam fillings often leaked causing the tooth and nearby teeth to acquire a black or brown color that could not be removed (amalgam tattoo).

2. Less grinding: Resins can be placed without requiring your dentist to grind healthy parts of your teeth. This was something that had to be done when preparing a cavity for an amalgam filling.

3. Amalgam fillings can expose you to high amounts of mercury which can lead to many health problems unlike composite resin fillings which do not pose such a risk.

*In our dental office we only use resins from the German company VOCO. 

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​Endodontic Treatment

All endodontic treatments are motorized using an endodontic motor making the whole process faster and the success rate higher. Usually, and depending on the difficulty of the case, an endodontic treatment can last 2-3 appointments along with the final restoration in the case of a simple filling.

The use of Laser in endodontic treatment and its benefits are now generally accepted. In our Dental Office, all root canals during the final stage of the treatment and before the final obturation, are sterilized using the Laser thus killing up to 1000 times more germs, thus increasing the chances of success.

*In a tooth that has undergone endodontic treatment, it is always recommended to restore it with a crown so that it is protected from fractures.

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