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All our services are geared to provide attractive, comfortable and functional results.
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We practice conservative dentistry, catching and correcting problems while they're still small.
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Our TMJ Treatments help correct pain from migraines, teeth grinding, clenching, locking jaw and other related symptoms.
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Tooth Colored White Fillings

In Herndon, VA

Tooth colored fillings are also called white fillings, composite fillings, and porcelain fillings, although they’re not made of dental porcelain. They’re made of a composite material which is matched to the color of the tooth they’ll be filling.

Comparison to old metal fillings

Bonds well to our teeth

The composite material bonds well to the remaining parts of the tooth it’s filling, which means less of the tooth tissue must be removed to hold it. Amalgam (metal) fillings need more tooth to be removed, as they’re aren’t bonded to the tooth at all, but just tightly fitted into the cavity. To hold them in properly, the tooth cavity must be shaped correctly.

Takes a little longer to do

When the decayed area has been removed, the tooth must be kept free of saliva. Dr. Katz applies an adhesive to the dry surface, and then several layers of the tooth colored material. When it’s properly filled, a laser is used for about a minute to harden the composite.

Inlays and onlays vs. fillings

When the tooth is too decayed or damaged for a filling, whether it’s tooth colored, gold, or metal, inlays and onlays can be done. If the tooth is also a back one, doing lots of chewing, then it needs strengthening as well as filling.

• An inlay is a type of filling made of dental porcelain, custom-made to fit the space within that tooth, and bonded to the tooth using a composite material like the one used to do tooth colored fillings
• An onlay is a porcelain repair to a tooth which has decay both inside it and on part of its outer surface, so that the repair must spill out over the cusp or top edge and cover part of the outside

Dental composite

tooth colored fillings are a good solution for decay in front teeth, as they’re made to match the tooth’s enamel. When this dental composite material was first used, in the 1960s, it was a weaker substance and not good for fillings in back teeth.

Since that time, the substance has been improved so that it is now strong enough for back teeth fillings, depending on the size and exact position of the cavity. Dr. Katz will examine your teeth closely before making a decision on this.

Get rid of those ugly metal fillings. Contact Dr. Katz today and schedule a Complimentary Cosmetic Consultation to discuss your tooth colored filling options.

703.478.9574