Tooth-Colored Fillings in Fort Collins, CO
Cavities are widespread, and few people can claim they’ve never had one. Most of us will have to deal with tooth decay at some point and require a filling to restore the tooth to complete health.
If you do develop tooth decay, it’s crucial to have your dentist treat it right away. A small cavity is relatively easy to fix, and waiting only gives the decay time to spread and damage the tooth even further.
The Process for Placing a Tooth Filling
If Dr. Rush recommends a tooth filling, he will explain what he found and how treatment will benefit you. He can share an x-ray or intraoral image with you to show you the area of decay and help you understand why we recommend treatment.
Before we begin treatment, we use a potent local anesthetic to numb the tooth because we want to ensure that you are comfortable and don’t experience any pain. If you feel anxious and would like some help to relax, we offer nitrous oxide or laughing gas for your comfort.
Using comfortable, highly precise electric handpieces, Dr. Rush carefully removes only the decayed portion of the tooth. Next, the area is thoroughly cleaned and dried, and we apply an etching solution to the prepared surfaces, and the tooth is ready for filling.
Dr. Rush builds up the composite filling material in layers, shaping each to match the contours of your tooth. He hardens each layer with a curing light and continues repeating these steps until the tooth is healthy and cavity-free.
The result is a cavity repair that is virtually undetectable from the tooth. Composite tooth fillings stand up to normal wear and tear, and with proper care, can last 5-8 years.
Call Us to Schedule an Appointment
If it’s time for your next six-month dental exam, or you have a toothache and think you need an emergency tooth filling, please call us to schedule a convenient appointment.
The Benefits of Tooth-Colored Fillings
Tooth-colored fillings offer many benefits for people of all ages. Read on below to learn more!
Creates a Virtually Invisible Repair
When treating a cavity at our Fort Collins dental office, Dr. Ryan Rush uses tooth-colored composite filling material. Composite resin fillings are a mixture of glass and resin particles that give it a translucent appearance similar to tooth enamel. By matching the shade of the material to the color of the tooth we’re treating, Dr. Rush creates a virtually invisible repair.
Helps Preserve Tooth Structure
The goal of dentistry is to preserve as much healthy tooth structure as possible for as long as possible. Composite tooth fillings help because the process we use to place them requires us to remove only the decayed portion, leaving the remaining healthy tooth structure intact.
Corrects Cosmetic Dental Flaws
Since composite resin filling material looks so realistic, and since we can shade it to match your natural tooth color, it's perfect for a process called cosmetic bonding. With bonding, we can correct minor aesthetic flaws like small chips and breaks, tooth discoloration, uneven gaps between teeth, or reshape a poorly proportioned tooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tooth-colored fillings are made from composite resin, while metal fillings (aka amalgam fillings) are made from a mix of metals like silver, tin, and mercury. Here’s what makes them different and why we use tooth-colored fillings over metal fillings.
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Tooth-colored fillings, also called composite fillings, are pretty much invisible. They’re crafted from a durable resin material that blends right in with your natural teeth, making them a fantastic choice for visible areas of your smile. Plus, they bond directly to your tooth, meaning less healthy enamel has to be removed. The result? A natural feel and a seamless look you’ll love.
Metal Fillings
On the other hand, metal fillings are the OG of cavity repairs. While they’re durable and budget-friendly, they’re hard to miss in your mouth. Over time, metal fillings can expand or contract with temperature changes, which might weaken the surrounding tooth. If keeping a natural look is important to you, they might not be your first choice.
Call Us for Tooth-Colored Fillings in Fort Collins, CO
If you’re ready for a discreet, long-lasting solution, tooth-colored fillings are the way to go. Contact us today to explore your options with Dr. Rush.
We welcome patients of all ages to our conveniently located dental office.
Meet Our Doctor:
Dr. Ryan Rush DDS
Dr. Rush knows that receiving dental work is rarely anyone’s favorite activity. But because he knows it is necessary, he does all he can to make the experience as comfortable as possible. By seeking first to understand each patient’s concerns and desires, Dr. Rush can cater each treatment plan to help patients achieve their optimal oral health and appearance goals.
After being raised in the midwest, Dr. Rush graduated from Brigham Young University and continued on to receive his Doctorate in Dental Surgery from the University of Maryland School of ...
Featured Blog Posts - Tooth-Colored Fillings
The Process of Getting Tooth-Colored Fillings: What to Expect
When you visit our dental office every six months for a routine checkup and cleaning, we examine your teeth and gums for signs of tooth decay or periodontal disease. If you have a cavity, we use tooth-colored composite resin to repair it and maintain a natural appearance.
So, what can you expect when you visit us for a tooth-colored filling? Keep reading to learn more.
Tooth-Colored Fillings: What to Expect
At Ryan Rush, DDS, we follow these steps to eradicate tooth decay and restore your tooth's functionality and aesthetic beauty:
- Numbing your tooth ...
5 Benefits of Tooth-Colored Fillings
Tooth-colored fillings in Fort Collins can repair your teeth and restore your smile. Dr. Ryan Rush's mastery of cosmetic and restorative dentistry can give you a healthy, comfortable, and beautiful smile.
Here are five benefits of tooth-colored fillings.
1. Quick Treatment
Tooth-colored fillings make treating tooth decay easier than ever. It's quick, painless, and takes less than an hour to treat one or a couple of cavities. First, we numb your gums and teeth in the affected area, remove infected material, and clean the tooth. Next, we use tooth-colored resin to fill ...
Tooth-Colored Fillings Technology
Electric Handpieces
Our dental team cares about your comfort and wants to ensure that every aspect of your experience with us is pleasant and stress-free. One way we can provide a more comfortable visit is by using electric handpieces.
One of the drawbacks of traditional air-driven handpieces is the high-pitched whining sound and uncomfortable vibrations they produce. We use electric handpieces because they are quieter, produce less vibration, and provide greater precision than air-driven tools.
Electric handpieces help our dentist efficiently remove decay and perform other tasks, streamlining your appointments, so you spend less time in the dental chair.