Cosmetic Fillings in Casa Grande
Nearly 91% of adults in the United States have cavities in their permanent teeth. Dental fillings are the classic solution for treating cavities, but dentists Jeffrey Mitchell, DDS, and David Crosby, DMD, and the rest of the cosmetic experts at Mitchell & Crosby Family Dentistry take that treatment a step farther by providing their patients with high-quality cosmetic fillings that treat their cavities while maintaining the aesthetic integrity of their smile.
To learn more about how the team at Mitchell & Crosby Family Dentistry can keep your smile both healthy and beautiful, schedule a visit to their clinic in Casa Grande, Arizona, by calling the office or booking a visit online today.
Cosmetic Fillings Q & A
What is a cosmetic filling?
A filling is a procedure that your dentist performs to fill a hole in your tooth’s enamel. The most common reason for getting a cosmetic filling is to treat cavities caused by tooth decay.
While some dentists use cast gold or silver amalgam to fill cavities, the team at Mitchell & Crosby Family Dentistry offers cosmetic fillings with Omnichroma composite material that provides nearly perfect shade matching with your natural tooth enamel.
Unlike silver and gold, composites made with Omnichroma, a product of Tokyo-headquartered Tokuyama Corp., match the color and translucency of your natural tooth enamel, allowing your cosmetic filling to blend in seamlessly with the rest of your smile and treat your tooth without compromising the integrity of your aesthetic appearance.
What is a cavity?
A cavity is a hole in the hard outer layer of your tooth, called the enamel.
Tooth decay is one of the more common causes of cavities. Cavities caused by tooth decay happen when plaque is allowed to stay on the surface of your teeth for too long. This typically happens because you aren’t brushing or flossing properly, but it can also happen if you have crooked or misaligned teeth that are harder to clean.
Plaque is made up of a variety of bacteria and acid. The bacteria and acid found in plaque eat away at your tooth’s enamel, creating a hole or cavity.
What happens when I get a filling?
The process of getting a filling is fairly simple, straightforward, and quick. The team at Mitchell & Crosby Family Dentistry first numb your tooth and the surrounding tissue with a local anesthetic. Then, a team member will use a laser, small drill, or air abrasion instrument to dig out any decay that might be in your tooth.
Then, a team member will use a laser, small drill, or air abrasion instrument to dig out any decay that might be in your tooth.
Once your tooth is free of decay, your dentist sterilizes the hole, then fills it with a tooth-colored filling material. They let the material dry, then uses the drill, laser, or air abrasion instrument to properly shape your tooth by shaving off any excess material.
The end result is a healthy tooth that’s sealed off from further decay.
How do I care for my filling?
The beauty of a filling is that it doesn’t require any sort of special care. You simply brush and floss it like you would the rest of your natural teeth.
You should remember, though, that your filling treated an area of your mouth that was clearly susceptible to tooth decay, so you should take extra care and effort to make sure that you’re properly brushing and flossing around the tooth you’ve had filled.