Restorative Dentistry

Composite Dental Fillings in Inglewood, CA

Repair cavities and restore your smile with safe, mercury-free composite dental fillings at Blue Diamond Dental. We provide natural-looking, tooth-colored restorations right here in Inglewood, CA. Our durable fillings are designed to blend perfectly with your natural teeth while protecting your long-term oral health.

dental bonding

Safe, Natural-Looking Tooth Restorations

When you have a cavity or minor tooth damage, a dental filling is the best way to restore the tooth’s strength and stop decay in its tracks. At Blue Diamond Dental, we prioritize your health and your appearance by offering high-quality composite resin fillings.

Unlike old-fashioned metal materials, we custom-shade our composite resin to match the exact color of your surrounding teeth. This means you can smile, laugh, and speak with complete confidence, knowing your dental work is virtually invisible.

The Drawbacks of Traditional Silver Fillings

While silver (amalgam) fillings have been used in dentistry for decades, they come with several noticeable disadvantages. Silver fillings are dark, highly visible, and contain a mixture of metals, including mercury.

Over time, the metal in these older fillings can expand and contract with temperature changes in your mouth. This constant movement can weaken the overall tooth structure and eventually cause the tooth to crack or break. Furthermore, the edges of silver fillings can wear down as they age, allowing bacteria to sneak in and cause new cavities beneath the filling.

The Benefits of Tooth-Colored Composite Fillings

Choosing composite dental fillings offers incredible advantages for both the beauty and the function of your smile:

  • Seamless Appearance: The tooth-colored resin matches the natural shine and shade of your enamel.
  • Stronger Teeth: Composite resin bonds directly to the tooth structure. This creates a tight, superior fit that actually increases the tooth’s natural strength.
  • Conservative Treatment: We can preserve much more of your healthy tooth structure because composite fillings require far less drilling than traditional silver fillings.
  • Lasting Protection: The tight, secure bond prevents bacteria from leaking inside, keeping your tooth safe from future decay.

Replace Your Old Metal Fillings

If you have old, dark silver fillings that make you feel self-conscious or are starting to break down, we can help. Our skilled team can safely remove your old metallic restorations and replace them with beautiful, durable tooth-colored fillings or custom onlays. We will help you achieve a brighter, healthier, and more natural-looking smile.

Gentle Restorative Dental Care in the South Bay Area

For over 50 years, Blue Diamond Dental has provided outstanding, patient-centered care to the Inglewood, Hawthorne, Gardena, and wider South Bay communities. Dr. Anthony Ortega and our compassionate team ensure that every single treatment is comfortable and completely stress-free. We use advanced techniques to repair your smile quickly and gently.

Schedule Your Dental Filling Appointment Today

Do not let an untreated cavity compromise your oral health or cause you pain. Protect your beautiful smile with our safe, durable, and highly aesthetic composite fillings.

Book your restorative dental appointment online today!

FAQ

Silver fillings have many drawbacks. The edges of the silver filling can wear down, become weak or break. This results in the tooth not being protected and lets cavities get started once again. With age, the metal of a silver filling expands, contracts, and can split.

Silver fillings contain 50 percent mercury. They can corrode, leak and cause stains on your teeth and gums.

Fortunately, silver fillings can safely be replaced with Tooth-Colored Restorations.

There are many advantages to tooth-colored restorations. Resin onlays are bonded to the teeth creating a tight, superior fit to the natural tooth. Such restorations can be used in instances where much of the tooth structure has been lost. The tooth remains intact and stronger.

Since the resin used in tooth-colored restorations contain fluoride this can help prevent decay. The resin wears like natural teeth and does not require placement at the gum line, which is healthier for your gums!

The result is a beautiful smile!

You can have your silver fillings replaced with tooth-colored restorations (onlays). This process requires two appointments.

Your First Appointment:

  1. The old filling is removed along with any additional decay.
  2. An impression is made of your teeth. A model of your teeth is made and sent to the lab.
  3. A temporary onlay is placed on the tooth.

At the Lab: A resin is carefully placed into the model of your teeth. It is then designed to look natural.

Your Second Appointment:

  1. The temporary onlay is removed.
  2. A conditioning gel is placed on your tooth to prepare it for the new onlay.
  3. Bonding cement is placed on the tooth and a high intensity light bonds the resin to the tooth.
  4. The tooth is then polished.

Your teeth are restored to a natural look and feel, they are stronger and the tooth is protected!

Dental Amalgam is a commonly used dental filling that has been used for over 150 years. It is a mixture of mercury with at least one other metal. Amalgam has many advantages over other restorative material, such as low cost, strength, durability, and bacteriostatic effects.

Amalgam is used in dentistry for a number of reasons. It is relatively easy to use and manipulate during placement; it remains soft for a short time so it can be packed to fill any irregular volume, and then forms a hard compound. Amalgam possesses greater longevity than other direct restorative materials, such as composite. On average, most amalgam restorations serve for 10 to 12 years.

There are circumstances in which composite (white fillings) serves better than amalgam; when amalgam is not indicated, or when a more conservative preparation would be beneficial, composite is the recommended restorative material. These situations would include small occlusal restorations, in which amalgam would require the removal of a more sound tooth structure, as well as in “enamel sites beyond the height of contour.”

The American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs has concluded that both amalgam and composite materials are considered safe and effective for tooth restoration.

The best way to prepare for a dental exam is to practice good dental care. Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing at least once a day is recommended. Be sure to clean your teeth before you arrive at your appointment. Our team will be cleaning your teeth for you, but it is helpful to remove food and plaque beforehand so we can focus on the more difficult-to-clean areas. You also want to make sure you are prepared to share pertinent information such as your medical history, insurance coverage and current dental care methods with us. Don’t be embarrassed to be honest about your oral health habits – our team is not here to judge you, but to work with you to improve your habits and ensure dental health! Lastly, be prepared to schedule a follow-up appointment or future check-up at the end of your dental exam.