A dental filling is one of the ways Smile Huntington restores a decayed and damaged tooth at our dental office in Huntington, New York.
The first step in getting dental fillings in Huntington, NY, is removing the damaged or decayed part of the tooth. Our tooth filling dentist near you, at Smile Huntington, will professionally clean the remaining area before placing the dental filling. The filling will stop decay from further ruining the affected tooth by safeguarding it and filling any areas which decay could come in from.
In the past, most fillings were made of silver amalgam, a mixture of silver, other metals, and often using mercury as a binding agent. While there is no evidence that the mercury in amalgam is harmful, patients and our tooth filling dentist near you have expressed concern about the mercury content in dental amalgam. They are a relatively less expensive option than the other materials in this list, but they have the drawback of being visibly noticeable. We rarely use silver amalgam fillings in our office because of their mercury content and unsightly appearance.
Composite resin fillings can be made and customized to match the natural appearance of your teeth. This leads to the filling looking natural. They can be stained by consuming certain drinks or smoking. Their drawback is that they usually only last up to a decade.
Porcelain fillings are custom made for you in a dental laboratory. While they are a more expensive option, they can match your natural tooth colour while resisting staining. Therefore, they are not easily noticed. They may take a little more time to be inserted since they have to be custom-made for your teeth. They are often called inlays or onlays.
Gold fillings are not commonly used unless requested by the patient. They are one of the more expensive options and are rarely used unless the patient discloses that they have an aesthetic preference for gold fillings.
To schedule a consultation with our tooth filling dentist or to ask for more information, call us at Smile Huntington. We are happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have in person or on the phone.
Dental fillings can last a very long time with proper maintenance and care.
Properly performed, no.
After the anesthesia has worn off, yes