Overcome Cavities and Dental Decay with Natural-looking White Fillings

Everyone loves a cavity-free smile. That’s why you diligently brush and floss your teeth to keep cavities at bay. Unfortunately, cavities can sneak into your mouth even with near-perfect oral care. Worry not! Treating cavities is easy, especially when detected early. Eagle Family Dental in Arlington, Washington, uses composite (white) fillings to treat cavities and minor dental decay. We prefer white fillings because they are attractive and look like your natural teeth.

The dental filling procedure

The procedure starts with an examination of your tooth. We’ll most likely use digital x-rays to determine the extent of decay and whether a tooth filling is the best treatment option. If yes, we’ll carefully remove the decayed portion of the tooth and clean the area thoroughly to remove harmful bacteria. 

After prepping your tooth, we fill the void left with composite resin material. We’ll reshape the filling material before using a curing light to harden it. Next, our dental team checks your bite and makes the necessary adjustments until your bite feels natural. Finally, we polish your filled tooth to give it a natural-looking finish.

After treatment, you can go on about your everyday activities. The only precaution to take is to avoid eating or drinking until the anesthesia wears off (usually after two hours). You risk biting your cheeks or tongue when you eat or drink while your still numb. 

Benefits of white fillings

Over the years, amalgam (metal) fillings have been the go-to restorations for cavity treatment. Unfortunately, amalgam fillings contain high content of mercury, which can harm your body. And that’s not all. Metal fillings “stick out” like a sore thumb whenever you open your mouth, not to mention your tooth darkens over time, further compromising your appearance.  

Dentists at our office no longer use unsafe and unattractive metal fillings. We use composite fillings made from finely grounded glass and acrylic. These tooth-colored fillings offer numerous benefits, including:

  • Better protection: Composite resin bonds securely with the tooth’s structure, preventing harmful bacteria from re-entering your tooth.
  • Conservative: Treating your tooth with composite resin requires removing a small portion of the natural tooth’s structure. Leaving healthy tissue intact keeps your tooth stable and long-lasting.
  • Aesthetically appealing: White fillings can be shaded to match the color of the surrounding teeth to achieve undetectable results.
  • Safety: Metal fillings expand and contract as temperatures change, which can crack your tooth over time. White fillings have better insulating properties; hence don’t change in size when subjected to thermal stresses. Moreover, white fillings don’t contain toxic substances that can harm your body.
  • Biocompatibility: Patients report less sensitivity or discomfort after composite resin treatment than metal fillings.
  • Durability: Composite fillings can last as many as ten years with proper maintenance.

If you have dental decay in Arlington, WA, don’t settle for anything less than the best. Eagle Family Dental offers beautiful and durable composite fillings to treat tooth decay. Please call (360) 322-1251 to schedule an appointment today.