Tooth-colored Fillings for Kids

Did you know that kids in Texas have among the highest rates of tooth decay in the country?

In 2008, 73 percent of third graders had experienced tooth decay, yet only 42 percent had received treatment for their cavities. While the Lonestar State is too large for me to save alone, I do my best to serve as a pediatric dentist in Flower Mound.

One concern among both our patients and their parents about the treatment of cavities is appearance. Some fillings stay relatively hidden in the back of the mouth, but others are easily visible. Shiny metal fillings aren’t always the best solution to cavities, which is why our practice is the best in Flower Mound for placing tooth-colored fillings.

White Dental Fillings in Flower Mound

The last thing we want is for our children to be self-conscious about their appearance.

White dental fillings, made from a composite resin, offer an aesthetically pleasing alternative to traditional metal fillings. Tooth-colored fillings have become popular among patients of any age, as we color the resin to exactly match the color of the patient’s natural tooth.

Resin is also superior to other materials because composite fillings aren’t as sensitive as metal fillings. Anyone who has had a metal filling is familiar with the sharp sensation of contact with metal utensils or the sensitivity to cold foods like ice cream.

More Benefits of Tooth-Colored Fillings

Tooth-colored fillings can restore teeth that have been fractured or decayed, and they can be used to cosmetically alter the size, color, or shape of a tooth. They have a few other advantages over metal fillings, too:

• Composite fillings bond directly to the tooth, which means a greater amount of the natural structure of the affected tooth can be saved.
• Composite fillings are repairable. If a problem ever develops with your white filling, we can repair or replace just that part without removing the entire filling.
• They can restore a tooth to as much as 95 percent of its original strength.

What to Expect

Using a composite resin to create a tooth-colored filling might sound complicated, but from a patient’s perspective, it’s quite simple. In fact, your child will be back to “normal” within hours after the appointment, the filling concealed so well they just might forget it’s there.

Composite fillings are chemically bonded to the original tooth. After the teeth have been cleaned and existing decay removed, we apply a primer to the tooth that opens the pores in the enamel and dentin, followed by a bonding agent.

After matching the resin to the desired color, we place the filling material inside the tooth, shaping it to make a perfect restoration. All that’s left now is to use a special curing light that will harden the resin. Kids often love this part because it looks like something from Star Trek!

Are Tooth-Colored Fillings the Best Choice for Kids?

Composite resin fillings are a great choice for treating tooth decay. They are also a viable choice for correcting the size of a tooth, minimizing gaps between teeth, or restoring a chipped tooth.

We provide tooth-colored fillings for kids of all ages in Flower Mound. Schedule an appointment for a consultation so we can determine whether this is the right treatment option for your child.

Dr. Duffy