Tooth-Colored Fillings

Tampa, Florida

At Reef Kids Dental, our priority is ensuring our young patients enjoy healthy, happy smiles. If your child has tooth decay, we are here to help. We offer a range of tooth restoration solutions, including tooth-colored fillings, to repair cavities to a functional status. A visit to our Tampa office will get your child’s smile and oral health back on track!

What Are Tooth-Colored Fillings?

Tooth-colored fillings, also known as white fillings or bonded resins, are a type of dental filling material made from a composite resin. They offer a safe and natural-looking alternative to traditional amalgam fillings and are designed to match the color of your child’s natural teeth. Tooth-colored fillings are used to treat cavities or repair small chips or cracks in your child’s teeth.

What Are the Benefits of Tooth-Colored Fillings?

Tooth-colored fillings offer many benefits, including the following:

Treating cavities with white fillings is fast and efficient.
Tooth-colored fillings look similar to natural tooth enamel, unlike amalgam fillings with their silver color.
Under most conditions, composites are strong and can withstand the pressure and daily wear and tear of biting and chewing.
Composite resin fillings require less removal of a tooth structure than silver fillings, making them more of a conservative treatment option.
Tooth-colored fillings have zero mercury content and will never cause any metal allergies.

How Are Tooth-Colored Fillings Placed?

The tooth-colored filling placement procedure is the same for kids as it is for adults. Depending on the location and size of the decayed area, we may give your child a local anesthetic. If your child is overly anxious or worried about the procedure, we have a range of sedation dentistry options available to help them relax during treatment.

When your child is ready, we will remove any decay or damage, clean the area, and etch the surface of the prepared tooth to ensure a strong bond. Next, we will place bonding material along with the composite material and use a special light to harden it. The last step is polishing and adjusting the filling so it doesn’t interfere with your child’s bite.

Caring for Tooth-Colored Fillings

After treatment, it’s important to maintain a regular oral hygiene routine of brushing those pearly whites at least twice a day and flossing daily. Limit sugary or acidic foods and drinks to lower the risk of new decay and cavities. It is also important to avoid hard foods or candies that can damage the dental filling material as well as your child’s tooth enamel.

Please note that tooth-colored fillings last, on average, seven years. Our goal is to get your child safely to the point where their new adult tooth can grow in and replace their baby tooth.

Visiting Reef Kids Dental for twice-yearly dental exams and cleanings is another important way to care for your child’s smile. We will monitor your child’s teeth and restorations to ensure they stay in tip-top shape.