Composite Fillings
When decay is present, Dr. Gabriel will removed the decayed portion of your tooth and fill it with material that matches the strength and durability of natural teeth. This procedure is called a filling. There are options for the material used in filling the cavity remaining after the decay has been removed. The most common materials used are composite and amalgam.
Composite material is matched to your tooth shade before it is placed into the cleared area of the decayed tooth, making it more desirable for most patients.
Amalgam fillings are gray or silver in color. More of the tooth structure needs to be removed to place an amalgam filling. Amalgam fillings are less attractive to most patients because of their color.
How it’s done
Dr. Gabriel will use a topical anesthetic on the gum before injecting anesthetic to numb the area where he plans to work.
Once the patient is numb, Dr. Gabriel will use the hand piece (drill) and the correct bur size to remove the decayed portion of the tooth, or teeth.
After all decay is removed, the area is thoroughly dried and a bonding agent is applied to the cleared tooth surfaces. An LED light, emitting light in the blue spectrum, is used to cure the bonding agent.
The composite filling material is placed into the cleared area in layers. Each layer is cured with the same blue light to harden the composite material.
After the composite is fully hardened, Dr. Gabriel will smooth and polish the filling to return your teeth to a comfortable, healthy bite.