St. Louis County, MO

Composite Fillings St. Louis County, MO

Composite Fillings in St. Louis County, MO. Treating cavities and other tooth damage with composite fillings can help brighten your smile and boost your confidence. At Plaza Dental, we are wizards in restorative and cosmetic dentistry to give people in St. Louis County, MO tooth-colored fillings that are indistinguishable from their natural teeth. If you have damaged teeth, or just need a nearby St. Louis County, MO dentist for your standard cleaning, get in touch with Plaza Dental today at 314-361-1818 or make an appointment online.

What Are Composite Fillings?

Composite fillings made of glass and quartz with resin that combine to produce a tooth colored material. Our dentist team will color the fillings so they look natural alongside your other teeth. They’re becoming the preferred choice over dental amalgam fillings for St. Louis County, MO residents who need a cavity filled because they look more natural, are more affordable, and amalgam fillings carry the chance of inhaling a trace amount of mercury vapor.

While cavities are the main reason people get composite fillings, they can also enhance your St. Louis County, MO smile by fixing:

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

The Composite Fillings Procedure

Your St. Louis County, MO dentist will usually start by providing an in-depth cleaning to the affected 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 unhealthy bits of the tooth with a drill. After, they will add the soft composite filling to your teeth in layers. Between layers, your dentist in St. Louis County, MO will solidify the composite filling with a UV light — a process referred to as photopolymerization — so that the next layer can be applied.

Once that process is finished, your dentist at Plaza Dental will shape it to look the same as the rest of your teeth, take off any surplus filling, and finally polish the tooth. While you might not regain full sensation in your mouth for several hours, and you may feel some brief sensitivity to temperature changes at first, generally, once the procedure is over, both the look and functionality of the filling is immediately equal to that of your natural teeth.

Benefits of Composite Fillings

In addition to composite fillings, there are other categories of fillings, such as also various metals or glass ionomer. In addition to cost and the fact that it’s tooth-colored, we’ve found that many St. Louis County, MO residents prefer composite because:

• It is much easier to manipulate, 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 treating cracks and gaps between teeth.
• The material isn’t affected by temperature, so it won’t cause chronic tooth sensitivity.
• It affixes to your existing tooth, which makes it much less likely to fall out, and it helps shield the delicate tooth underneath the filling.
• It’s easily repaired, so a small chip will not lead to a full replacement like it would for other fillings.
• It can usually be completed in one visit to your St. Louis dentist, while other fillings require multiple appointments.

How Durable Are Composite Fillings?

One downside to composite fillings is that they tend to be less durable than other kinds of fillings. While metal fillings can last up to 15 years, the average composite filling will need to be replaced in as little as half that time.

When Do I Need a Composite Filling?

While a chipped tooth is easily viewable, other dental problems can usually only be diagnosed by a professional. Some signs you may need composite fillings in St. Louis County, MO are:

• Inflammation, redness, or bleeding of the gums may be a sign of gingivitis or another gum disease, which can cause tooth decay and a host of other problems if you do not promptly seek treatment.
• Tooth pain or persistent toothaches can indicate decay or hard-to-see cracks in the back of your mouth.
• Consistent bad breath, technically called halitosis, can at times be an indication of severe dental problems in addition to tooth decay.

While your St. Louis County, MO dentist at Plaza Dental specializes in the treatment of myriad dental problems, your best option is always to follow good oral hygiene and preventive care such as brushing and flossing and going to professional cleanings and polishings biannually.

Check out the links below to see some of the other services we offer in St. Louis County, MO:

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

Composite Fillings in St. Louis County, MO | Dental Plaza

We know that if you’re not proud of your smile it can have an impact on how you see yourself, which is why we’ve dedicated our practice to helping St. Louis County, MO residents achieve the smile of their dreams. Regardless of the the current condition of your teeth, Plaza Dental is here to get them looking great and hopes that when you leave our office you’ll be smiling everywhere. We have a particular interest in seeing St. Louis County, MO residents who are nervous about having someone working on their mouth, as we believe a brilliant smile and healthy teeth are something everyone deserves. If you need composite fillings in St. Louis County, MO, get in touch with Plaza Dental today at 314-361-1818 or contact us online.