Restorative, Asthetic Dental Fillings in Leesburg, VA

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Natural Looking Dental Fillings Can Restore Confidence

Whether due to decay or an accident, you may find yourself needing a restorative option that provides long-term strength and security, while also completing the look of your smile. One excellent option to restore damage like cracks, chips, and cavities is dental fillings. These attractive replacements help to restore the function of a damaged tooth while blending seamlessly with the natural tooth itself and the surrounding teeth.

A dental crack can seem like an extremely small and minor issue. However, a dental crack is notorious for becoming larger and working its way underneath your gum line and causing extreme foundation issues. A dental crack can also pave the way for bacteria to enter the tooth and the pulp of the tooth, causing decay and other issues. If this happens, the dentist will need to perform a root canal therapy procedure in order to try to save the tooth. However, if the infection is far beyond saving, the dentist will likely need to extract the tooth altogether. This issue can be repaired easily with a dental filling, as it is a resin that is used in the dental industry to fill the gaps between chipped teeth and cracked teeth.

Dental fillings can also be used on patients who had root canal therapy procedures in the past, where their dentists used a metal filling that does not look natural. Composite resin filling, also known as a tooth-colored filling, can be used to cover up the metal fillings in order to give the patient a more natural look. This additional layer can also help preserve the natural tooth for a much longer period of time.

2 Different Types of Dental Fillings

Composite

A composite filling is a tooth-colored filling that is made up of plastic and glass. This filling is used for any and all reasons, whether it is to fill in a tooth after root canal therapy, or even fill in cracks and chipped teeth as well. The composite filling is in a gel-like form and can be shaped and altered to fit exactly what the dentist needs at the time. This is the type of filling that is used to hold together a natural tooth that has a major crack. If the tooth is extremely discolored and a professional tooth whitening session doesn’t help, then a dental filling can be used to brighten up the shade of the tooth in order to give it a brighter look.

Metal

Metal fillings are also known as silver fillings or better known as Amalgam, in the dental industry. This form of metal filling is made of a combination of metals mixed together with Mercury. This type of filling has been tested over and over to ensure that this metal filling is safe and effective for dental restoration. These tests have been proven with the American Dental Association (ADA) as well as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These types of fillings are typically used during root canal procedures to fill in the tooth once the pulp of the tooth is removed. This filling is never used to fill in cracks or chips, as it is an unnatural look. These types of fillings are typically used for smaller children on their primary teeth during a root canal procedure, as these primary teeth will fall out to make room for the adult teeth a few years later.

If you are in need of a dental filling, your dentist will likely go over the uses of each of these different types of fillings. He or she will decide which material will be best for your issue in order to ensure the health of your mouth and smile. In most cases, the composite filling is typically the best and much less expensive choice. It is an incredibly durable option, and it can mimic the look and feel of your natural tooth. Composite fillings can be layered and cured or hardened within 30 minutes per tooth. This means the layers can be placed fairly thin or can be thickened up, depending on the issue at hand.

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Composite Fillings are Durable

Many patients are worried about just how long composite fillings can last. If you ask your dentist this, he or she will likely say it depends on how well you take care of your teeth. Composite fillings can last just as long as your natural teeth. Just because they last just as long as your natural teeth doesn’t necessarily mean they are unbreakable. Fillings can chip, crack and discolor just like your natural teeth. It’s important to be careful about how you are treating your natural teeth as well as your dental fillings.

A great way to ensure your dental fillings last a lifetime is by brushing your teeth at home twice a day and flossing at least once a day. Your oral health needs to be maintained, and in order to do so, this will need professional care along with your at-home oral hygiene routine. You want me to visit your dentist every six months for a bi-annual checkup and a deep cleaning session. All of the steps will help to ensure the health and strength of your teeth. This will ensure that your dental fillings will not need to be replaced or extracted if they are taken care of professionally.

Paying for Your Dental Filling

In most cases, a dental filling is used in order to ensure the overall health of your mouth is pristine. Dental insurance companies will usually cover a procedure or dental issue if it affects the health of the patient. If you are in need of a root canal therapy procedure, this will likely be covered by your dental insurance company, or at least partially. If you have a crack in your tooth and it is at risk of decay, this will likely also be covered by your dental insurance company. However, if you’ve chipped your tooth and you do not feel pain or it does not pose a risk to your overall dental health, this type of issue may need to be paid for out of pocket. Your dental professional will go over your dental insurance plan to see if there are ways to ensure your full coverage. If not, your dentist can go over different payment options that will ease your anxiety about needing to pay for dental fillings out-of- pocket. If the patient does not have dental insurance, the dental professional will do the same and go over different payment options with you that will fit into your budget.

Be sure to contact your dentist if you feel any pain in your teeth or jaw area, as it can mean you have a cavity and it will need to be treated with root canal therapy, which will include a dental filling. Don’t wait, as it can cause worse issues the longer you do!

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Meet Dr. Tracey Nguyen

Dr. Tracey Nguyen received her Doctor of Dental Surgery, Magna cum laude, at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical College of Virginia. Dr. Nguyen is trained in all phases of implant dentistry, and has received extensive training in cosmetic dentistry. She is also a manuscript/review editor for the Academy of General Dentistry.

More About Dr. Nguyen

We are located in Leesburg, VA but proudly serve Lansdowne, Reston, Broadlands, Ashburn, Sterling, and all neighboring communities.