We know that you are nervous about needing a filling and we are here to make you more comfortable and answer all of your questions. Our Harvard and USC graduate and diplomat with the American Board of Prosthodontists, Dr. Arman Torbati, is also an associate professor with USC and is up to date on all of the latest advances in dentistry techniques - including your potential fillings.

What Are Dental Fillings?

A filling is a simple way of fixing a damaged or decaying tooth. Tooth decay can be caused by a number of issues, such as bacteria, but it is critical to the preservation of your oral health that a decaying tooth be stopped. The most common type of tooth decay is due to cavities.

Dental fillings can do just that. By stopping any further decay and blocking additional bacteria from entering into the affected tooth, a dental filling can preserve your tooth and improve your oral health.

There are a number of different materials that dentists use for fillings. For a long time, gold was the traditional filling and it would last for upwards of twenty years. But gold easily showed up against white teeth and particularly for front teeth, made people feel self-conscious. Gold is also the more expensive material and takes multiple visits to complete the process. Silver fillings have also been used widely but have similar disadvantages as gold fillings.

I Don't Want Metal Fillings - What Are My Options in Los Angeles or Century City?

If you do not like the appearance or idea of gold or silver fillings, not to worry. There are additional material types that can be used for fillings that might suit your needs better. Porcelain fillings are as long-lasting as gold but they can be matched to your tooth color, unlike the various metal materials. They are also fairly stain-resistant.

Plastic, or composite, fillings are much more common place now. Because they are matched to the color of your tooth they blend in easily and hide the fact that you had a cavity in that front tooth. They can be slightly more prone to staining and have a shorter lifespan - closer to ten years - than metal fillings.

What Else Do I Need To Know Before Getting Fillings?

No one is happy to have a cavity. We understand. And here in the Los Angeles area, where you want your smile to shine without distraction, you will want to consider non-metal fillings to keep that tooth from getting worse. Make sure you give us a call today to figure out the best course of treatment and filling type for you and your smile.