Beautifully Restored Smiles with Tooth Colored Fillings
June 17, 2015
At Arbor Dental Care, we believe that all dentistry is cosmetic dentistry because it always affects your smile esthetic. That’s one of the main reasons we offer tooth colored fillings as part of our restorative dentistry services. As a comprehensive dental care practice, we strive to restore your bite to optimal health while preserving as much of your natural teeth as possible. If you need a filling or are interested in replacing amalgam fillings near Lisle, IL, Dr. Frank Marchese and the outstanding Arbor Dental Care staff are here to help. Call to schedule an exam today.
Pros of Tooth Colored Fillings
Tooth colored fillings are considered composite fillings because they are made from a composite of silicon dioxide and tooth-colored plastic resins. You may assume that the only advantage to composite resin fillings is esthetic appeal, but there are actually numerous reasons why these fillings may be a better option than traditional fillings. The material, the strength of the bond, and the ability to blend with natural tooth coloring are all advantages to composite fillings.
Because composite resin is non-metallic, it can be blended to perfectly match existing teeth, the bond between the resin and the tooth is much stronger which protects the existing teeth, and perhaps most importantly, potential health risks associated with amalgam (silver) fillings are avoided. Amalgam fillings are composed of 50% mercury. While mercury in its solid state is not harmful to humans, it is easily vaporized, and can be extremely toxic when inhaled. Choosing composite resin fillings instead of amalgam fillings or replacing already existing amalgam fillings can help you avoid any potential long-term health effects associated with mercury exposure.
The bond between the resin and your tooth is much stronger than the bond with traditional fillings. This means there is less chance your filling will come loose over time. The bond also makes it possible for our staff to preserve a larger amount of your existing tooth than they are able to with amalgam fillings. Finally, the tight bonding between tooth and resin protects your tooth from further decay because there is significantly less space for bacteria to collect.
If that wasn’t enough of a reason to consider composite resin fillings, the stark difference between a tooth with a composite and one with an amalgam filling might change your mind. While people are unlikely to see your tooth fillings during the normal course of conversation, laughing, yawning, and smiling often reveal fillings. With tooth colored fillings, your associates are none the wiser, but amalgam fillings stand out. To fully restore the esthetics of your smile after a filling, composite resin fillings are the best option.
Schedule an Appointment
Caring for teeth that are affected by decay is essential to protecting your overall oral health. Schedule an appointment as soon as possible, if you believe you have a cavity, or lose filling to minimize the amount of time bacteria are able to do further damage. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff are always here to help you. Our “ask the doctor” feature allows you to reach ask Dr. Marchese about any dental care concerns that arise between appointments. Call to schedule your appointment at Arbor Dental Care conveniently located in Lisle, IL. We welcome patients from the surrounding area including Naperville and Downers Grove.
Your Emergency Dentist in Lisle, Illinois
It’s not always easy to prepare for an emergency, but at Arbor Dental Care we want to help our patients learn how to respond when a dental emergency occurs. The majority of dental emergencies are not life-threatening, and being educated on how to care for your oral health until you can come into our office can help alleviate your stress. An emergency by its very definition is an unprepared for event that can easily lead to anxiety or panic, but with a few tricks you’ll remain unruffled next time dental disaster strikes. Call our Lisle, IL office or use our helpful “ask the doctor” tool to find out more about emergency dentistry or any other oral health concerns.
What if?
Playing the game of what if, can be dangerous. What if Martians are real? What if we run out of chips at our party? However, preparing for the inevitable by considering possible dental emergencies before they occur, allows you keep calm and level headed in the face of the most extreme emergencies. There are really only two things to remember: clean and cold. If you can remember that, you can provide interim dental treatment until you can see our expert emergency dentist, Dr. Frank Marchese.
What if someone loses an adult tooth? This is a fairly common occurrence, and it is easy to take action to neutralize the situation. First, remember to clean the socket where the missing tooth was, and clean the tooth itself. Never clean your tooth with abrasive or chemical materials, and never handle a tooth by the root. Hold teeth gently by the “cap” or chewing surface. Swishing warm water through the socket and rinsing the tooth with warm water should be sufficient to clear them of blood or debris. Time is of the essence with a tooth that has completely detached from the socket. If you are able to see a dental care professional within an hour of incident, the tooth can usually be saved. However, it is essential to keep the tooth moist and protected. The best option is to reinsert the tooth into the socket immediately. If this is not possible, holding a tooth between the check and teeth, or placing it in a cup of milk will also preserve the tooth. If you are unable to see a dentist within an hour, there are numerous restorative dentistry option to replace your tooth. Your chief concern then becomes stopping any bleeding and preventing swelling.
What if someone has bleeding or swelling from a dental injury? For the socket left by a knocked out tooth, a cut lip, or other bleeding or swelling a cold, wet, sterile compress applied to the affected area with gentle, consistent pressure will typically slow bleeding and prevent swelling. If a compress on the affected area is not sufficient to stop bleeding, ice will further slow the flow of blood. By slowing or stopping blood flow, you are also better able to determine severity of wounds. Since there are more blood vessels beneath the skin of your face, wounds here bleed more heavily.
Other What Ifs
For a broken or dislocated jawbone, do not wait. Go to the hospital or call an ambulance immediately. Gently hold the jaw closed, and apply a cold compress when possible to reduce swelling and further injury. Once you have seen a physician, contact our office to schedule an appointment for our dental professionals to ensure you are returned to full bite health.
If you have food or debris of some kind stuck between teeth or your gums have swollen suddenly, gently floss between teeth to remove any debris. If you cannot remove debris by flossing, or your gums remain swollen, never use a sharp object dislodge materials because you may cause further damage unintentionally. Continue to gently floss and brush teeth, and schedule an appointment with our office to assist you.
Schedule an Appointment
If you need emergency dental treatment, we will try to see you as quickly as possible. Call as soon after an accident that you safely can to schedule a visit. If you fear a dental emergency may be life threatening, proceed to an emergency room or call an ambulance. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff are always here to help you. Call to schedule your appointment at Arbor Dental Care conveniently located in Lisle, IL. We welcome patients from the surrounding area including Naperville and Downers Grove.