Central West End, MO

Composite Fillings Central West End, MO

Composite Fillings in Central West End, MO. Treating cavities and other tooth damage with composite fillings can help brighten your smile and improve your confidence. At Plaza Dental, we are wizards in restorative and cosmetic dentistry to give people in Central West End, MO tooth-colored fillings that are identical to their natural teeth. If you have teeth that are decayed or broken, or just need a local Central West End, MO dentist for your examination, contact Plaza Dental today at 314-361-1818 or make an appointment online.

What Are Composite Fillings?

Composite fillings made from powdered glass quartz particles that are added to a resin base. Our dentist team can customize the fillings so they match your teeth. They’ve come to be an increasingly popular alternative to dental amalgam fillings for Central West End, MO residents who need a cavity filled because of their natural appearance, their relative affordability, and the fact that amalgam fillings contain the possibility of ingesting a small amount of mercury vapor.

In addition to cavities, composite fillings can enhance your Central West End, MO smile by fixing:

• Bruxism, or tooth grinding
• Broken teeth
• Gaps between teeth
• Worn teeth
• Other tooth decay

How Your Composite Fillings Appointment Will Go

Your Central West End, MO dentist will generally start by providing an in-depth cleaning to the damaged area and then administering a local anesthetic to numb the gums and tooth. If you are getting a composite filling because of decay, your dentist will remove the decayed parts of the tooth. After, they will add the soft composite filling to your teeth in layers. After each layer, your dentist in Central West End, MO will reinforce the composite filling with a UV light — a process known as photopolymerization — in order for the next layer can be applied.

Once all the layers have been applied, your dentist at Plaza Dental will manipulate the filling to match the rest of your teeth, remove any surplus filling, and then polish the tooth. While the numbness may not wear off for 4 or 5 hours, and you may feel some slight sensitivity to temperature changes for a little while after that, generally, once the procedure is over, both the look and functionality of your teeth are immediately restored.

Advantages to Composite Fillings

Beyond composite fillings, there are other varieties of fillings, for example also gold, silver amalgam or glass ionomer. While an obvious benefit of composite is the natural look, we’ve found that many Central West End, MO residents also choose composite because:

• It is more pliable, which means it can be used to fill smaller cavities and less of your actual, non-decayed tooth has to be chipped away to make room for it.
• Its flexibility before being hardened makes it by far the best option for fixing cracks and spaces between teeth.
• The material does not react to temperature, so it won’t cause long-term tooth sensitivity.
• It fastens to your natural tooth, so it will not fall out, and it helps protect the delicate tooth underneath the filling.
• It’s easily repaired, so modest damage does not result in needing a brand new filling like it would for other materials.
• It can usually be completed in one appointment with your St. Louis dentist, while other fillings need a mold to be made and then sent to a lab.

How Durable Are Composite Fillings?

One drawback to composite fillings is that they tend to be less durable than other varieties of fillings. While gold fillings can last up to 15 years, composite fillings will generally last in as little as half that time.

Signs You May Need a Composite Filling

While a broken tooth can be seen by anybody, especially if it’s one of your front teeth, other underlying problems are not as obvious. You’ll want to contact your Central West End, MO dentist immediately for the following reasons:

• Bleeding of the gums may mean that you have gingivitis or another gum disease, which can lead to tooth decay and a host of other problems if untreated.
• Tooth pain or persistent toothaches are often signs that your teeth are suffering from decay.
• Persistent bad breath, scientifically called halitosis, can occasionally be a sign of severe dental problems including tooth decay.

While your Central West End, MO dentist at Plaza Dental can help you with myriad dental problems, they’ll always advocate observing good oral hygiene and preventive care such as brushing and flossing and making cleaning and polishing appointments with your dental office twice a year.

Check out the links below to see some of the other services we offer in Central West End, MO:

• Dental Emergency
• Gum Contouring
• Broken Tooth Repair
• Invisalign®
• Tooth Pain Relief
• Periodontal Treatment
• Tooth Pain
• Gingivitis Treatment
• Dentist Near Me

Composite Fillings in Central West End, MO | Dental Plaza

We know that when your smile isn’t what you want it to be it can have an impact on how you see yourself, which is why we’ve committed our practice to helping Central West End, MO residents get that perfect alignment and those pearly whites. No matter the extent of the damage to your teeth, Plaza Dental is here to restore them along with your self-image. We have a special interest in treating Central West End, MO residents who are apprehensive about having someone working on their mouth, as we believe a brilliant smile and healthy mouth are something everyone should have. If you need composite fillings in Central West End, MO, get in touch with Plaza Dental today at 314-361-1818 or contact us online.