The Role of Dental Fillings in Treating Cavities

Through routine dental exams, your Vista, California dentist can detect early warning signs of dental problems that can threaten your oral health. One of these problems is cavities. Decay is a common dental problem that plagues old and young alike. The most common treatment for decay is dental fillings. Through preventative dental care, the dentists at Dreamtime Dentistry can reduce your risk of decay and other dental issues. You can learn more about dental fillings and cavities at Dreamtime Dentistry. 

Achieve a Healthy, Decay-free Smile with Tooth-colored Dental Fillings

Dreamtime Dentistry brings safe, natural-looking dental solutions to our patients in Vista, California, and the nearby locations. When you need to repair a cavity or minor tooth damage, Drs. Ryan Watkins and Joel Altshul don’t use amalgams. Instead, we use composite dental fillings made from safe, biocompatible, and life-looking materials. If you need to restore your smile with a dental filling, schedule an appointment with our office for the best materials.

How are dental fillings placed?

Placing a dental filling is a simple procedure, often completed in a single visit. Before the procedure, your doctor will examine your tooth with digital X-rays to ensure only a filling is required. If so, we’ll prepare your tooth by removing the decayed or damaged portion. We place fillings after administering local anesthetics, although surface cavities don’t need anesthesia.

After tooth preparation, we’ll clean and sanitize your tooth to remove all traces of harmful bacteria. Then, we’ll apply composite resin to the treatment area and harden it in place with a curing light. Finally, the dentist will sculpt your filling to fit your bite patterns comfortably. Your composite filling requires no special care besides good oral hygiene.

Composite Vs. Amalgam: Which one is better?

Years ago, amalgam fillings were the only restorations available for restoring teeth. These fillings are created from metal alloys, including mercury. While metal fillings have their place in dentistry, their safety and aesthetic concerns have led to the innovation of better alternatives.

Composite fillings are created from metal-free, fine glass particles and acrylic plastic. These biocompatible and tooth-colored materials offer the following unique benefits over amalgams.

  • Superior aesthetics: Amalgam fillings are a turn-off whenever you open your mouth because of their silver appearance. White fillings are colored like your teeth, so people will only see your beautiful smile when you open your mouth.
  • Safety: Composite fillings are created from safe materials—they don’t contain mercury or other toxic substances. Similarly, the biocompatible materials don’t trigger itching, rashes, and other adverse reactions synonymous with metal fillings.
  • Conservative treatment: Placing your fillings involves removing a small portion of your natural tooth structure. Leaving as much of your tooth structure as possible ensures your tooth lasts many years without cracking or breaking.
  • Unparalleled strength: Although composites are highly moldable in their raw form, they are incredibly strong when they bond with your tooth. Composite fillings are resilient enough to withstand everyday use, even for posterior teeth.
  • Lasting solution: Metal fillings contract and expand when exposed to varying temperatures, causing stress fractures over time. Composite fillings have insulating properties; they don’t change in size despite temperature changes.

How long do dental fillings last?

With proper maintenance, our tooth fillings can last 10-plus years. However, this depends on the location of the tooth, dietary choices, oral hygiene, and whether you brux your teeth. When all the basic maintenance areas are covered, tooth fillings provide a long-lasting solution for smile restoration.

Are composite fillings right for me?

Do you have a cavity or minor tooth damage? If so, composite fillings in Vista, CA, effectively restore your smile while maintaining its natural appearance—call (760) 274-0993 to get tooth-colored fillings from Dreamtime Dentistry.

Dr. Ryan Watkins, near me

Dr. Ryan Watkins

Dr. Ryan Watkins is a licensed dentist with specialized training in anesthesiology, blending expertise in general anesthesia and IV sedation within his private practice. A graduate of Loma Linda School of Dentistry in 2003, Dr. Watkins completed advanced anesthesiology training at Riverside County Regional Medical Center, Loma Linda University Medical Center, and the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry Surgery Center for Dentistry. He has extensive experience including complex cases in endodontics, periodontics, dental implants, oral surgery, and pediatric dentistry. His experience and dedication to sedation dentistry ensure exceptional care, particularly for children and adults who benefit from his integrative approach.

Connect with Dr. Ryan Watkins on Linkedin