Tooth-Colored Fillings
At Clark Dental Studio, our goal is to help you achieve a beautiful smile without the inconvenience of costly and complex treatments. Our beautiful tooth-colored fillings are a cost-effective way to keep your teeth healthy and correct certain cosmetic dental problems.
Choosing Tooth-Colored Fillings
Until recently, metallic (amalgam) fillings were one of the only options we had to fill a cavity and provide a stronger, healthier tooth. Amalgam is still a safe and effective material for use in certain situations, but today we can fill cavities using tooth-colored fillings that restore your tooth and look completely natural.
Appearance
One of the main reasons we choose dental composites for our filling material is that they can be customized to closely match your tooth’s natural color. Once these fillings are expertly placed by Dr. Clark, they blend perfectly with surrounding dental enamel. No one will notice the repair – just a beautiful, healthy tooth.
Amalgam fillings are still an excellent solution in certain situations. The problem is that fillings can appear as dark spots on teeth that are visible when you smile. In addition, amalgam fillings gradually discolor teeth over time, causing teeth to take on a darker, bluish hue.
Strong and Durable
Tooth-colored fillings not only repair the damage and strengthen the tooth, they look great doing it. The process we use to place composite fillings bonds the material securely to the tooth structure, which increases the overall strength of the tooth being restored.
On the other hand, amalgam fillings sit in the space inside your tooth and do not bond to your natural teeth. Older amalgam fillings can break down and pull away from the edges of the natural tooth enamel. This slight shrinkage creates a space where bacteria can collect, leading to more serious dental problems that may require a root canal to fix.
Cosmetic Dental Bonding
Since tooth-colored fillings look so natural, we can use them for a procedure called dental bonding, which has many cosmetic uses:
- Create seamless fillings for teeth that show when you smile
- Fill uneven gaps and spaces between teeth
- Repair broken or cracked teeth
- Fill in minor chips
- Improve the shape of irregular teeth
Please Call Our Office to Learn More
Tooth-colored composite fillings are very popular with our patients because they look clean and natural and do not create the esthetic problems associated with dark amalgam fillings. At Clark Dental Studio, we choose them because they’re another tool available to us for improving and protecting your oral health in a healthy, conservative, cost-effective way.
If you have a damaged tooth, we'll be happy to talk to you about composite fillings or other options that may be more appropriate for you. Please call our Chattanooga dental office for more information or to schedule a convenient appointment with Dr. Clark.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dental x-rays have been used for decades and are one of the most important diagnostic tools used in dentistry. For years, x-rays have been used to identify abnormalities like cavities, and gum and bone disease. When talking about the relative safety of x-rays, you should understand that many of our simple, day-to-day activities expose you to some radiation from the sun, minerals in soil, and even your microwave.
At Clark Dental Studio, we use digital radiographs (x-rays) to provide us with detailed images. We choose digital x-rays because they’re effective, reduce your exposure (compared to film x-rays), and completely eliminate the need for traditional films. Digital x-rays are also better for the environment since there’s no hazardous material to dispose of.
How frequently we take digital x-rays depends on the current condition of your teeth and your dental history. Dr. Clark may decide that x-rays twice a year would be right for you, but other patients who see us regularly and don’t have a history of frequent cavities or gum disease may only require x-rays every few years. If you’re a new patient and haven’t had updated x-rays taken recently, we may suggest a set of x-rays to establish a baseline that allows us to stay on top of any oral health changes.
We take your safety and comfort very serious at Clark Dental Studio, and we encourage you to talk to us about your concerns. Please call us with any questions you have about the safety of our digital x-rays.
Meet Our Doctor:
Dr. Matt Clark
Originally from Union City, Dr. Clark grew up wanting to be a dentist. He entered college close to home at the University of Tennessee-Martin, never changed his course of study, and stayed true to his plan, graduating with high honors and a degree in cell and molecular biology. He then went on to Memphis to attend and graduate from the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry.
Upon graduation, he moved to his wife’s hometown of Dyersburg to work in a pediatric dental office, which is the probable cause of his residual ...