Tooth-Colored Fillings vs Traditional Fillings: Chicago Dentist on Why One Is Better Than the Other

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Jun 17, 2014) -  With their natural-looking appearance, durability, and mercury-free composition, tooth-colored fillings are becoming an increasingly preferred approach for many dentists and their patients. According to Steven Flicker, DDS, of The Dental Implant Associates, tooth-colored fillings make a superior option to silver or amalgam fillings for aesthetic, functional, and health-related reasons.

"I have not placed a 'silver' filling in over fifteen years," says Dr. Flicker. "Aside from the poor aesthetics, tooth discoloration, and the need to remove more tooth structure to retain them, my main concern is the mercury present in silver or amalgam restorations. Even though the ADA [American Dental Association] periodically publishes a report on the safety of 'silver' fillings, and most health organizations deem them safe, I see no reason to place them when there are better alternatives."

In a recent blog post titled "Is A Tooth-Colored Filling Better For Me?" Dr. Flicker explains there are several critical advantages of tooth-colored fillings that make them a beneficial choice for the patient, including:

• Flexibility - tooth-colored fillings absorb and transfer the pressure similar to the way normal teeth do when a person bites and chews food
• Less invasive - tooth-colored fillings allow for a patient to keep more of his or her healthy tooth structure
• Natural-looking - with many shades available, dentists are able to closely match the filling to patients' surrounding teeth
• Mercury-free - as a composite resin, tooth-colored fillings are a mixture of glass and plastic

During the tooth-colored filling process, Dr. Flicker explains that the composite resin is first placed, cured, and then hardened using an ultraviolet light. For the finishing stages, it is shaped and polished to duplicate the patient's natural tooth anatomy. "Because they are chemically bonded to the natural tooth structure, less of the healthy part of tooth needs to be removed to retain them," he says. Contrastingly, amalgam fillings require that dentists drill into the tooth to create a ledge, or "undercut," in order for the filling to be able to lock in place.

"In my opinion, the advantages of composite or resin restorations far outweigh any disadvantages - those being: the procedure is more complicated than placing an amalgam and it is slightly more expensive," says Dr. -Flicker. "The latest generation of composites are extremely versatile, hard, and durable."

For patients interested in tooth-colored fillings, Dr. Flicker recommends they speak to their dentist to learn more about the procedure. With an experienced general or cosmetic dentist, he says tooth-colored fillings can provide natural-looking solutions that can last for many years.

About Steven Flicker, DDS
Dr. Steven Flicker graduated and earned his Doctor of Dental Science degree from the University of Illinois. He has 35 years experience as an implant and cosmetic dentist, and has received numerous awards from the Chicago Dental Society and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. Dr. Flicker is a fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He is available for interviews upon request.

For more information about The Dental Implant Associates, please visit dentalimplantassociates.com/index.html and facebook.com/DentalImplantAssociates.

To view the original source of the press release, click here: http://www.dentalimplantassociates.com/blog/news-room/tooth-colored-fillings-vs-traditional-fillings-chicago-dentist-on-why-one-is-better-than-the-other