Restore Minor Cavities with Natural-Looking Composite Dental Fillings
For patients with minor tooth decay, Dr. Joseph Mormino provides realistic, conservative dental fillings at his Staten Island, NY, practice. Made of composite resin, these restorations are designed to blend in with your natural teeth while restoring lost function. Patients can receive their filling in a single appointment and immediately return to their daily routine. The doctor and his team are dedicated to providing a spa-like, stress-free environment so that you remain comfortable throughout your visit to the office.
How Do I know if i Need a Dental Filling?
Fillings are one of the most conservative options available for treating cavities.Because fillings are best suited to repairing small spots of decay, they are on the opposite end of the restorative spectrum from dental crowns. After removing the decayed enamel, Dr. Mormino can apply a malleable, tooth-colored composite to restore the tooth to its natural shape. If necessary, the doctor can also place a new composite replacement for old or damaged fillings, as well as fillings that have begun to show through the tooth.
WHY We USE COMPOSITE FILLINGS
Composite or white-colored dental fillings offer a number of advantages over traditional metal restorations, including:
- Natural-looking results: Where metal fillings are immediately evident against the teeth and eventually cause extrinsic staining, composite fillings blend in seamlessly with the shape and shade of your tooth.
- Stronger bonds: Composite typically holds onto the tooth better than metal can. Consequently, the fillings are often stronger and less prone to damage.
- Preservation of natural tooth structure: Because composite resin binds to enamel more tightly than metal, Dr. Mormino does not need to remove as much of the tooth to place the restoration.
- No sensitivity to temperature changes: Metal fillings expand and contract in response to changes in temperature, which can significantly weaken your tooth. Because composite resin contain no metal, patients can avoid this problem all together.
Overall, composite fillings offer patients both a more cosmetic and functional solution to cavities than traditional metal options.
The Placement Process
Before placing a filling, Dr. Mormino will numb your tooth with local anesthetic to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible during your appointment. For patients who are nervous in the dentist's chair, we can provide nitrous oxide to help you relax, as well. Once you are fully prepared, the doctor can clean out the decayed enamel to remove bacteria and diseased tissue. Through this process, he will typically make minor adjustments to the treatment area so that filling can bond as tightly as possible with your tooth.
Composite dental fillings offer patients an aesthetic and longer-lasting solution to minor tooth decay.
Before placing the restoration, Dr. Mormino will carefully choose a shade of composite resin that most closely matches your teeth. The filling is typically applied in layers: as each is filled in, he will shine a curing light to harden the material before moving on to the next. Once the cavity is completely filled in and any excess composite trimmed off, the doctor can clean and polish the tooth.
Restore Your Smile with a Natural-Looking Solution
Composite dental fillings offer patients an aesthetic and longer-lasting solution to minor tooth decay. Reach out online or call us at (713) 714-3555 to schedule an exam with Dr. Mormino.
