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SmileArts Dental Studio is a mercury-free practice. Old defective silver mercury fillings are replaced with strong, aesthetic white fillings that not only looks natural but last just as well if not longer.
Not known to many patients, white fillings come in many types and compositions. Factors that govern what type of white fillings to use include;
- Size of tooth cavity
- Location of tooth cavity (Front or back of the mouth)
- Biting surface versus non-biting surface
- Required strength of bonding restorative material
Composite fillings are mercury-free, high strength plastic used to replace missing parts of a tooth. They come in many shades of white, thus allowing the dentist to match the filling to the original color of an individual's teeth.
They consists of a mixture of resin and finely grounded glass-like particles. Composite fillings provide adequate durability and fracture toughness for small to medium sized cavities. They are routinely used to restore cavities on biting surfaces of back teeth. Because of their ability to be adhesively bonded to teeth, less tooth structure is removed when the dentist prepares the tooth and this inevitably results in a smaller filling than that of an amalgam filling.
The bonding process of composite fillings usually takes longer to perform as compared to an amalgam filling. This is because the tooth surface needs to be carefully treated before inserting the composite material. It is then sculpted to an ideal tooth shape, hardened and polished for an natural smile, all within one visit.
When teeth are chipped, decayed or have gaps in-between, bonded composite fillings may be an ideal restorative material of choice.
Large silver mercury fillings have the tendency to crack teeth as they are harder than tooth structure and act like a wedge every time you bite or chew. The crack or fracture in the teeth can cause pain and may ultimately lead to the loss of the teeth. Remember, mercury is used in thermometers because it expands and contracts with temperature differences. Imagine what it can do to your teeth over time!
Porcelain inlays and onlays are inserts of ceramic glass material that are bonded or fused to the tooth with minimal removal of healthy tooth structure. Because they are tooth colored and possess high strength and durability, they are often used to replace large silver mercury fillings for patients who desire a more natural looking smile. The bonding properties of porcelain to tooth structure enables the tooth to regain a proportion of its original strength and eliminates the wedging effect inherent in silver mercury fillings.
Porcelain inlays and onlays are indicated for;
- Large cavities where composite fillings or other bonding materials are not suitable
- Chipped or fractured teeth
- Closing gaps in-between back teeth that trap food particles
- Strengthening root canal treated teeth by covering weak surfaces
- Replacing unsightly silver mercury fillings
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