1. A drill will be used to remove the decayed area of the tooth.
2. After the decay has been removed, your dentist will prepare the space for the filling by cleaning the cavity of bacteria and debris.
3. If the decay is near the root, your dentist may first put in a liner to protect the nerve.
4. For metal fillings, your dentist will finish off by putting the filling in, and then polishing it.
5. For tooth-colored fillings, the tooth-colored material is applied in layers, followed by the use of a special light used to harden each layer.
6. Last, your dentist will shape the composite material, trim off any excess material and polish the tooth.

Types of Dental Fillings

Several dental filling materials are available. At The Dental Center, we offer silver colored / amalgam (which consists of mercury mixed with silver, tin, zinc, and copper) fillings or tooth-colored fillings called composite resin fillings. The best filling for you will depend upon the location and extent of the decay, the cost of the filling material, your insurance coverage, and your dentist's recommendation.

Amalgam (Silver-Colored Fillings)

Advantages:

• The amalgam filling itself is very strong, and can withstand chewing.
• Amalgam fillings are less expensive than composite resin fillings.

Disadvantages:

• Silver-colored fillings don't match the color of your teeth; therefore, they are not a good choice for front teeth.
• Amalgam fillings can give a grayish tint to the surrounding tooth structure.
• Amalgam fillings are more likely to cause cracks and fractures in teeth.
• A small amount of people are allergic to the mercury present in amalgam fillings.

Tooth-Colored Fillings (Composite Resin)

Advantages:

• Composite resin fillings are tooth-colored; therefore, they are a great choice for front teeth.
• Composite resin fillings actually chemically bond to tooth structure, providing more support to the tooth.

Disadvantages:

• Composite resin fillings are more expensive than amalgam fillings.
• Composite resin fillings take longer to place than amalgam fillings.
• Composite resin fillings are more likely to chip off the tooth than an amalgam filling.

We Care About Our Environment:

We belong to ___________ - A regional pollution prevention recognition program provided by local agencies in ____, ______, and _________ counties in parternship with the _____ ___________ Alliance. ___________ has given our office four stars.

The Dental Center is proud to use The Amalgam Collector™. The Amalgam Collector is designed to trap the wastewater generated in dental procedures. Heavy metal particles and other solids are separated out, and the remaining filtered water and other fluids are released into the sewer system. This helps lower the burden of the silver, zinc, copper, and bound mercury that reach our water treatment plants, so that our drinking water and our environment contains a lower percent of heavy metals.