Dental Fillings

At Barsky DDS, we utilize only tooth-colored, mercury-free dental fillings during our restorative dental services. These composite fillings are made of white materials that are custom matched to your natural tooth enamel.

Using white fillings allows the doctor to both enhance your smile’s appearance while also preserving your oral health. We can combine our fillings with other services, such as bonding, veneers, or even porcelain crowns for a comprehensive rehabilitative approach. Side by side, your restored teeth will create a stronger, more beautiful smile that looks as healthy as possible.

Dental Filling Before and After

*Image for reference. Not an actual patient.

What are Dental Fillings?

Dental fillings are used to restore and protect teeth that have an altered shape from decay or deformity. There are many options and applications for dental fillings for patients.

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What are the Different Types of Dental Fillings?

There are a few different materials that can be used to craft dental fillings. Each material has its own set of pros and cons that patients should consider in consultation with a board-certified prosthodontist.

Composite Fillings

Composite, or plastic fillings are a common choice for teeth closer to the front of a patient’s mouth. The ingredients for a composite filling are mixed at the appointment and placed into a cavity, where they are hardened with a special light.

Composite fillings may seem superior to traditional silver fillings in that they are free of metal – but that is just one reason. At Barsky DDS, we choose to use composite materials because it provides each of our patients with:

Composite fillings have several advantages, including:

• Inexpensive compared to all other filling options
• Can be completed in one visit
• Can do a good job of matching tooth color and appearance

There are some issues with composite fillings as well, and they include:

• Most likely to chip or break
• May become stained from beverages, food, or tobacco use
• Not as durable as other fillings – only last three to ten years.
• Not suitable for large fillings

Minimally Invasive Restorations with Composite Fillings

Traditional metal fillings require a wedge-shape to be cut into the tooth, in order to hold the restoration into place. In contrast, composite materials bond directly with your tooth enamel. This enables the doctor to remove only the decayed portion of the tooth, leaving the remaining healthy structures intact.

Stronger Tooth Enamel with Composite Fillings

The molecular compound of white fillings causes them to release small amounts of fluoride over the course of a few years after they have been placed. This strengthens the weakened tooth structure around it, making your smile more resistant to recurrent cavities.

Flexibility in Unconventional Areas with Composite Fillings

In the past, fillings had to be placed into deeper areas, surrounded by durable tooth enamel. As we have learned, the bonding properties of composite fillings eliminate* the need for excessive tooth preparation. As a consequence, the fillings can be placed in non-traditional areas – such as smooth surfaces on the front teeth. Their aesthetic features also allow The MIAMI Institute patients to restore the teeth toward the front of their mouth with a small filling; rather than having to rely on a porcelain crown in lieu of a metal filling.

Removal of Amalgam Fillings with Composite Fillings

Many of our patients come to the doctor because of the unsightly appearance caused by their older metal fillings. Over time, amalgam fillings can begin to leak, creating a dark grey or bluish tint in the tooth enamel. It may even cause permanent discoloration of the gum tissues, otherwise known as an “amalgam tattoo.”

Removing the amalgam fillings can enhance the appearance of your smile, while also eliminating any form of mercury that still remains inside of your mouth. Once the silver restoration is taken out of the tooth, the doctor will place a composite filling in its place. Any stained enamel will also be ‘prepped’, so that there is no remaining discoloration surrounding your new filling.

Gold Fillings

Gold fillings are created to order in a dental lab and are then put in place by an oral health professional.

The advantages of gold are:

• Unlikely to agitate gums or mouth
• Long lasting, as much as 20 years
• Preferred choice for many oral health professionals.

However, gold does have some drawbacks:

• Most expensive option
• Requires multiple visits.

Silver Fillings

Also known as Amalgam fillings, are a common choice for fillings for back teeth.

The advantages of silver are:

• Inexpensive, especially when compared to gold
• Can be completed in one visit
• Resistant to wear

There are some drawbacks to silver fillings though, including:

• Darker color is more noticeable than resin or porcelain fillings
• Not as durable as gold fillings

Porcelain Fillings

Porcelain dental fillings are also known as onlays or inlays. They are custom made in a dental laboratory, and bonded to the tooth.

Some of the benefits are:

• Durable when compared to composite fillings
• Stain resistant
• Matches tooth color and appearance

Like all of the dental filling material options, porcelain also has some drawbacks:

• More expensive, cost is comparable to gold
• Requires two visits

Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Fillings?

Individuals who have tooth decay, cavities, or those with deformity in permanent teeth are good candidates for dental fillings. Identifying the right treatment option for a specific patient should always be made in consultation with a qualified oral health specialist, who will be able to help determine the best treatment option and filling material for a patient.

What is the Dental Filling Process?

With the exception of gold and porcelain fillings which require an additional appointment so that the filling can be created in a dental lab, dental fillings can be completed in one visit.

The procedure for dental fillings is:

Step 1: Local Anesthesia

The first thing that happens is that patients are given local anesthesia. This will numb the area of the mouth where the filling is to be placed so that the patient will not feel any pain during the procedure.

Step 2: Remove Decayed Tissue

After the anesthesia takes effect, the areas of the tooth affected by decay are removed. A drill is used to remove enamel and the space will be shaped to be prepared for the filling.

Step 3: Etching

This step is used to prepare the tooth for a bonded filling. It involves using an acid gel to prepare the space that the filling will be placed in. This makes the bonding processes more effective.

Step 4: Installation

After the tooth has been prepared, the filling is placed. For bonded fillings it will be set in place by the dentist and bonded to the tooth. Resin and amalgam fillings will be prepared and placed in the prepared space.

Step 5: Polishing and Finishing

The filling is polished and finished so that it fits perfectly without creating discomfort. This will also ensure that color and texture match your teeth as closely as possible.

How To Tell if You Have a Cavity

Some of the first symptoms that you may experience if you need a filling can include:

1. Feeling a sharp or rough edge on your tooth
2. Tenderness when biting or chewing
3. Sudden pain or sensitivity caused by certain types of foods or drinks
4. Having food pack between your teeth during meals
5. Bad taste or odor coming from a particular area in your mouth
6. Something feeling “not quite right”

Unfortunately, tooth decay does not always exhibit symptoms. In some cases it may be completely undetectable on your own. That’s why the doctor recommends a routine check-up at least every 6 months for most patients.

To screen for tooth decay, the doctor will perform a comprehensive examination to pinpoint weak areas of tooth enamel as early as possible. Unfortunately, not all cavities are visible to the naked eye. For situations such as these, we will take a series of digital x-rays to assess the surfaces between the teeth and just under the enamel.

Early diagnosis of cavities allows the doctor to recommend minimally invasive techniques or fluoride treatments to prevent the spread of the decay. Our white fillings require little tooth preparation, maximizing the integrity of your remaining tooth structure. Most of our patients benefit from having dental x-rays taken at their initial visit, as well as every 6 to 12 months afterward.

Treating Decay Early

The most important step in treating tooth decay is early intervention. Otherwise, cavities have the potential to spread very quickly, resulting in other teeth requiring fillings or the initial tooth ultimately in need of a root canal.

When properly cared for, in most cases our fillings can last for several years, up to 10 years or more, before having to be replaced. Replacing an amalgam (silver) filling with another silver filling would result in additional tooth preparation, and eventually a crown. Due to the unique bonding properties of composite, The MIAMI Institute patients are typically able to continue having smaller fillings placed as needed.

Comprehensive Approach to Dental Care

Dr. Barsky will tailor your treatments to your specific smile needs. Whether it is a small cavity or a larger one – each filling is custom blended and matched to resemble the tooth enamel surrounding it. The results – a beautiful tooth that looks as if nothing was ever wrong. We can even match your fillings with other types of restorations for comprehensive results that reflect maximum aesthetics.

The Advantages of Using a Prosthodontist for Dental Fillings

Prosthodontist Training and Board Certification

In order to become a board-certified prosthodontist, a dentist must complete four years of dental school, then an additional 3 years of highly intensive and closely monitored residency. Following that they will have two more years of evaluations and certifications to become a board certified prosthodontist. During their additional training a prosthodontist will receive intensive training on the best practices and latest tools and methods of modern dentistry.

This means a board-certified prosthodontist will be uniquely qualified to help patients determine if dental fillings are the right option for them and what the best procedure for the filling is.

Should I Get Dental Fillings?

If you have cavities, tooth decay, or tooth deformities on permanent teeth, then you might be a candidate for tooth decay. Any decisions regarding oral health treatments should be made in consultation with a board-certified prosthodontist. Dr. Barsky is the only board-certified prosthodontist in the Miami area, and can help you decide if fillings are right for you.

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