The Benefits of Dental Fillings
The benefits of dental fillings are obvious – they are used to give back functionality to a tooth that has been compromised by decay. Now, there are different types of fillings, and not all have the same benefits. Some dentists (although not many) still use metal fillings. And yes, they will fill your cavities, but they can lead to other problems down the road.
The problem with metal fillings is that they do not bond all that effectively to your tooth structure. They also contain mercury, and no one really knows how much mercury is safe. They are also not environmentally friendly.
The reality is that you can get all the benefits of dental fillings with composite material. You really do not need to have metal fillings in your mouth.
Tooth colored fillings have all the benefits of dental fillings made of metal, and other benefits besides. The composite material used in tooth colored fillings is actually made to match the rest of your teeth, so unless you (for whatever reason) want to tell people that you have had fillings, there is no reason why they should know. Because tooth colored fillings look better, you will enjoy a higher level of self-confidence, and be able to smile the way you want to, knowing that you will not be revealing a mouth full of metal.
If you still have metal fillings, you can enjoy all the benefits of dental fillings without the unpleasant appearance by having them removed and replaced with tooth colored fillings. Because your teeth will need very little preparation to receive composite fillings, you can still have strong teeth. In fact, they will usually be even stronger once your old metal fillings are removed and replaced.
Another one of the benefit of dental fillings using composite material is that the fillings will not expand and contract when you consume very hot or very cold foods the way metal fillings will. This means that there is no pressure on the tooth that could cause it to break.
Tooth colored fillings made from dental composite will also last a very long time. Usually, you can expect to keep a tooth colored filling for about 15 years, and even then, if it fails, you can easily have it replaced with another tooth colored filling.