St. Paul Family Dentist Discusses Benefits of Tooth-Colored Fillings

Old dental crowns that are dark and unattractive can make you feel self-conscious when you smile. Your St. Paul Family Dentist offers strong and durable porcelain tooth fillings to replace old, unsightly mercury fillings, eliminating the discolored the metallic solutions left behind. Porcelain dental fillings strengthen teeth by creating a sound tooth structure. An advantage of using porcelain fillings instead of crowns is that, with the filling, the natural shape and form of the healthy tooth structure is maintained. Porcelain fillings also allow light to reflect more evenly off teeth, creating a more natural smile.

Why Use Porcelain?

Porcelain is an ideal material for use in dental fillings because of its similarities to your natural teeth. Porcelain fillings can be made to closely match the color and shade of your teeth. This makes porcelain fillings an excellent choice for restorations that include your front teeth or other visible parts of the teeth.

The bond that is created when the material is affixed to your natural tooth actually makes them stronger. Porcelain used in dentistry has many uses including filling material for decayed teeth and restorations on chipped, broken or worn teeth.

Replace Fillings Made of Silver Amalgam

In addition to providing the restorative qualities as mentioned above, porcelain fillings can also be used to replace old mercury amalgam fillings. Although The American Dental Association (ADA) has stated that no conclusive proof exists that mercury (silver) fillings cause bodily harm, some research suggests that mercury amalgam fillings may cause toxins to enter the body. Amalgam fillings are still in use today by some dentists, but advancements in modern dentistry such as porcelain fillings provide better alternatives for patients seeking a more aesthetically pleasing outcome.

If you have concerns about replacing your mercury fillings with tooth-colored fillings the Highland Park Saint Paul General Dentist can help you improve the appearance of your smile with porcelain fillings. Dr. Malterud can SAFELY remove your old mercury fillings following the recommended protocols of the International Association of Mercury-Safe Dentists (IAMSD).