Tooth Colored Fillings

What are tooth colored fillings?

Tooth colored fillings are composites that bond to your tooth. At Eric Heim Dental, we place composites when there is missing tooth structure, or for esthetic needs.

What causes a patient to have missing tooth structure?

Most commonly patients have missing tooth structure after the dentist removes tooth decay. Tooth decay is caused by the bacteria, Streptococcus mutans. The bacteria feed off of sugar and release an acid which softens the tooth. If the bacteria reach the nerve of your tooth, then the tooth can become infected. With tooth colored filling materials, Dr. Heim is able to stop the progression of the bacteria to protect the tooth from needing additional treatment.

What are some other reasons that we would place tooth colored fillings?

• to protect the tooth in areas that the enamel has worn away

• for esthetic bonding on your front teeth if you don’t like the color or shape

• tooth decay has formed around an existing filling