Tooth-Colored
Fillings Vancouver

A tooth-coloured filling, also called a composite filling, contains a mixture of biocompatible materials that bond to your tooth. Tooth-coloured fillings can be used to seal the hole created by a cavity or to repair fractures or cracks.

If a tooth has decay or has been chipped or fractured, a composite filling is usually needed to fill or seal the affected area. A filling prevents bacteria and acids from penetrating and causing further problems, including decay and infection. Not only does a tooth-coloured filling restore your tooth’s appearance, it also restores the tooth’s structure and strength, so you can bite and chew without having to worry about the tooth breaking.

When comparing composite fillings vs. amalgam fillings, the benefits of composite fillings include:

• Better aesthetics. Composite fillings are colour-matched to blend in with your smile, making them undetectable. Amalgam fillings, on the other hand, are silver and very noticeable.
• Safe for all smiles. Composite fillings are biocompatible and don’t contain metal or mercury. While the mercury levels in amalgam are considered safe, in rare cases, this type of filling can still be a problem for patients with a metal allergy.
• More versatile. Tooth-coloured fillings can be used to repair cavities, chips and fractures, as well as minor cosmetic flaws.
• Bonds like a champ. The composite resin material bonds with the tooth better than amalgam does. This means less of your tooth’s natural structure needs to be removed to place a tooth-coloured filling, and the filling is less likely to come loose.
• Doesn’t mind hot or cold. Unlike a silver filling, a composite filling isn’t affected by temperature and won’t expand or contract.

Getting a filling doesn’t hurt. Our Riley Park-Little Mountain dentist, Dr. Sahi, will numb the area around your tooth with a local anesthetic first. You won’t feel anything as she removes tooth decay and places the filling.

If the idea of getting a filling makes you feel anxious, Dr. Sahi is experienced in sedation dentistry. She can work with you to decide on the best sedation option for your needs. We’ll create a plan to ensure you’re relaxed and don’t feel any discomfort during the procedure.

Dr. Sahi will numb the area surrounding the tooth with a local anesthetic. Once you’re numb, Dr. Sahi will gently and carefully remove any decay. She’ll then clean and prime the space before filling it with a composite resin that she has colour-matched to your natural enamel.

After using a curing light to harden the materials, she’ll check your bite and make adjustments. Finally, Dr. Sahi will shape and polish the filling so that it looks just like your original tooth.