Tooth-Coloured Fillings in Barrie

Our goal for you is to provide appropriate care so you can enjoy a healthy smile free of problems.

However, even those who are proactive about caring for their smiles with regular dental visits, at-home hygiene, and a nutritious diet can still get a cavity. If this occurs, our priority is to provide prompt treatment to stop decay in its tracks and prevent further damage to your teeth. 

At Park Place Dental, we focus on offering affordable, conservative treatments that leave your smile healthy and beautiful. Tooth-coloured composite fillings are a versatile treatment, allowing us to create a natural-looking repair that restores your oral health and blends seamlessly with your smile.

Metal Fillings vs. Composite Fillings

In the past, metal amalgam has been the material used for dental fillings. While metal fillings worked well for teeth in the back, the tooth-coloured material we use today, composite resin, has proven to be not only more aesthetically pleasing but also more durable and long-lasting.

There are many differences between metal and composite fillings besides just their colour. First, metal fillings require the removal of much more tooth structure for proper placement. Composite fillings are bonded directly to your tooth, which allows your Barrie dentist to preserve more of your natural tooth.

Next, metal fillings are sensitive to temperature, which causes them to expand and contract. Since there are constant temperature changes in your mouth, metal fillings eventually pull away from your tooth, causing them to break down and allow bacteria back inside your tooth. The composite material is not sensitive to temperature and doesn't pull away from your tooth because of direct bonding.

Modern dentistry gives us new and improved materials to work with, and today, we fill cavities using natural-looking tooth-coloured composite fillings.

We choose tooth-coloured composites because we find them preferable to metal fillings for several reasons. 

Improved Appearance

Our Barrie patients appreciate the aesthetic nature of composite fillings that allows us to match the shade of the restoration to their natural tooth colour. The result is a tooth repair that blends seamlessly with existing tooth enamel and creates an invisible repair. 

Unlike composite fillings, amalgam fillings create a dark spot on white dental enamel. Over time, amalgam fillings can break down and also gradually discolour teeth, causing teeth to take on a darker, bluish or grey hue.

Correct Cosmetic Concerns 

Since tooth-coloured fillings in Barrie blend so perfectly with your smile, we can also use them to address a number of cosmetic dental concerns. We can:

• Close gaps and uneven spacing between teeth
• Repair chipped, cracked, or broken teeth
• Improve the shape and size of irregular teeth

Structural Integrity

A silver amalgam filling sits in the hollowed-out space inside your tooth, but it doesn't bond to your tooth structure. For this reason, the amalgam filling can deteriorate over time and pull away from the tooth, opening a space where bacteria collect and leading to more complex dental problems. 

On the other hand, since tooth-coloured fillings are bonded directly to your tooth, they restore the damaged part of the tooth, potentially leaving it stronger than when we found it, which increases the tooth's integrity. Tooth-coloured fillings in Barrie are long-lasting and will give you many years of service before you need to replace them. 

It can be tempting to put off dental exams if you're not in pain. However, letting pain dictate your dental treatment is never a good idea.

Many dental problems can significantly damage your teeth before you experience any discomfort. If a cavity is developing, finding it as soon as possible allows us to address it so you can avoid pain and the possibility of more complex treatment.

The easiest path to a healthy, problem-free smile is prevention. During regular exams and cleanings, Dr. Joo will thoroughly inspect your teeth for any signs of problems. If you're a new patient, we may recommend x-rays to see what's happening deep inside your tooth. Based on this information, we will recommend a treatment plan, so you never have to worry about developing a toothache.

Our patients love that we can give them the option of choosing tooth-coloured fillings at our Barrie, ON dental office because they are discreet and don't cause the same problems as amalgam fillings do. Our dentists choose them because they're a healthy way to conservatively improve and protect your smile. 

For more information or to see if a tooth-coloured filling is right for you, please call us to schedule a convenient appointment.