San Francisco, Marin, and Oakland, CA
Tooth enamel is a hard and highly mineralized substance that comprises the protective outer layer of your tooth structure. When you consume sugary foods and drinks, it becomes a food source for the bacteria in your mouth. Those bacteria feed and excrete acids that eat away at your tooth enamel. If your enamel is compromised by these bacteria and acids, it weakens the enamel, eventually forming cavities. Glen Park Dental can repair these areas of damage by installing a filling. In this article, we’ll explain why your San Francisco general dentists only work with fillings made of composite resin, as part of our greater commitment to metal-free dentistry.
Dental Fillings
Have a tooth filled is a simple procedure that repairs the damage done by decay. Our general dentists in Oakland will use a local anesthetic to numb the tissue surrounding the affected tooth. Then we will remove any decay and then apply a varnish that allows the filling to adhere to your tooth. Next, your dentist mixes a composite resin that will be customized to match the shade of your other teeth, allowing your restored tooth to blend perfectly in your smile.
Composite resin has a consistency similar to putty. That means it can be shaped, and with extreme precision and detail to carefully mold your new filling on to your tooth. Once placed, we will cure the resin with a special light, solidifying it. We want to note, completing your filling may entail applying a couple of layers. Once the tooth is fully restored, we will trim any excess and polish the tooth. Then you’ll have the optimal quality filling, a healthy mouth, and an aesthetically appealing tooth.
Why Glen Park Dental Uses Metal-Free Fillings
- Preservation: Because of resin’s putty-like flexibility, placing the filling entails less drilling than working with a traditional amalgam filling. That means we can preserve more of your original tooth structure.
- Simple Procedure: Our composite resin bonds to the surface of your tooth for a simple and custom-fitted adhesion.
- Safer: Composite resin, unlike amalgam fillings, expands and contracts at the same rate as your natural teeth when subjected to varying temperature changes in the mouth. These factors are important because it means that composite fillings will not cause your teeth to crack or split.
- Aesthetics: The color of your composite resin is tailored to match your teeth precisely. That means it should appear seamless and invisible. You won’t have to worry about having a gold or silver tooth, or a dark spot in your smile, whether you’re meeting your prospective new boss or a significant.
Composite Fillings in San Francisco
Glen Park Dental has highly trained staff consisting of six different dentists, Drs. Carlos M. Longa, Kimberlee Dickerson, Ariana Ebrahimian, Tom Zaharis, Brian Benyammi, and Melissa Lass. If you’re located in Marin, Oakland, and San Francisco, our general dentists want to help you find the right solution for your cavity. To find out more, call (415) 585-1500 to schedule your consultation.
