Dental fillings are used to fill a cavitation of your teeth, which can be caused by physical or chemical trauma. At Aria Dental Center, fillings are done quickly and are filled with composite resin only as amalgam fillings have had some health concerns due to mercury exposure.

 Composite Dental Fillings remove decayed tooth structure from your teeth and replace it with composite resin. Cavities develop when your teeth have prolonged exposure to acid. The most common source of acid exposure is as a byproduct of bacterial sugar metabolism. Acid demineralizes tooth structure and creates lesions that can progress deeper into tooth structure. Once these lesions progress into dentin, the carious lesion is no longer reversible and a dental filling may be considered.

 The procedure begins with the removal of decayed and compromised tooth structure. Just like disinfecting the surface of a cut or bruise, this removal process aims to remove bacteria and prevent further infection or disease progression. Once the decayed tooth structure has been removed, the missing structure is filled with composite resin, a tooth colored restorative material with similar structural properties to teeth. The composite is shaped to match the original form of the tooth, restoring both aesthetics and functionality.

 If cavities are allowed to progress, they may compromise tooth structure, increasing risk of crown fracture or tooth sensitivity, resulting in the need for more invasive procedures. Therefore, it is important to address these lesions in their early stages for comfort and the best long term results.

 Fillings are designed to be conservative, preserving as much healthy tooth structure as possible. A well placed and well maintained dental filling has the potential to last decades, making composite dental fillings an excellent and cost-effective procedure in stopping caries disease progression, while maintaining the esthetics and functionality of natural teeth