Tooth-Colored Filling

Dental filling is a procedure in which a material is applied to the tooth to restore or improve person's smile.

Advantages of tooth-colored filling

• Repair decayed teeth
• Repair chipped or cracked teeth
• Improve the appearance of discolored teeth
• Close spaces between teeth
• Make teeth look longer
• Change the shape of teeth
• As a cosmetic alternative to amalgam fillings
• Protect a portion of the tooth's root that has been exposed when gums recede

Type of tooth-colored filling

1. Direct restorations are fillings placed immediately into a prepared cavity in a single visit.
2. Indirect restorations generally require two or more visits.

Procedure of direct restorations

• Preparation. Little advance preparation is needed for dental bonding.
• The bonding process. The tooth-colored, puttylike resin is then applied, molded and smoothed to the desired shape. An ultraviolet light or laser is then used to harden the material.
• Time-to-completion. The procedure takes about 30 to 60 minutes per tooth to complete.

Procedure of indirect restorations

1. The first visit
• The dentist prepares the tooth and makes an impression of the area to be restored.
• The impression is sent to a dental laboratory, which creates the dental restoration.
2. The second visit
• The dentist cements the restoration into the prepared cavity and adjusts it as needed.

Care for tooth-colored filling
Simply follow good oral hygiene practices.

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
• Floss at least once a day.
• See your dentist for regular professional check-ups and cleanings.