|
|
|
|
||
Home Doctor ProfilesTenets of Treatment Office Visit Restorative Treatment Endodontic Treatment Periodontal Disease Orthodontic Treatment Deep Bleaching TMJ/TMD SnoringNew Technology Contact Us Links |
 |
|
 |
Restorative Treatment: Amalgam Restorations
Our Restorative Treatment services include:
Click on one of the linked procedures to read more about our specific services.
|
|
Silver amalgam fillings, along with composites are the two most widely used dental restorative materials today. While amalgam’s silvery color is less aesthetically pleasing when compared to a tooth colored composite, it is still a very viable treatment option for posterior teeth that are not readily visible within the smile line. Its advantages lie in its strength and longevity as a restorative material. Perhaps one of the more tested materials due to its mercury and silver components, amalgam continues to be a safe and time-tested restorative dental material. Its other disadvantage besides its color is the fact that the patient must wait at least an hour for the material to set before eating or chewing on this restoration. Again, we will be happy to discuss the best options for restoring your teeth.
Placement of the amalgam restoration is a single visit procedure. Once the decay has been removed or the fracture site has been prepared, the area is thoroughly cleaned and dried with care in order to create the ideal environment for the new amalgam restoration. Sometimes if the decay or fracture was near the nerve of the tooth, a special medication will be applied to protect and soothe the nerve, typically Calcium Hydroxide or a reinforced glass ionomer. If the restoration will be extensively large or close to the pulp, we will utilize a new-age technique of adhesive dentistry that allows us to bond even metal amalgam to tooth structure, in effect, “gluing” the amalgam filling to the tooth. This provides far superior strength to both the tooth and the restoration as opposed to just conventional amalgam. After the amalgam has been placed, the restoration is carefully carved and shaped recreating the form, function and beauty of the tooth structure that had previously been lost. The bite or occlusion is then carefully and meticulously checked to match the precise strike pattern of the original tooth. The patient is then instructed not to eat or chew on this restoration for a minimum of one hour.