Fillings in West Chester, OH
At the dental office of Dr. Joel R. Koch, DDS, we combine functional dentistry with beautiful esthetics to deliver healthy and cosmetically pleasing outcomes for our patients. We pride ourselves on both the quality of our dental services as well as how seamlessly and effortlessly we can blend dental treatments in with your natural smile.
One example of this is our use of tooth-colored composite fillings. We use our dental fillings to treat cavities as well as to fix small cosmetic flaws within teeth. Our West Chester dentist can repair your broken and decayed teeth with attractive and subtle dental fillings.
Everyone deserves the freedom that comes with knowing their teeth are as healthy and beautiful as they can be. If you have a cavity but worry that everyone will notice if you get a silver filling, our tooth-colored dental fillings look like dental enamel and blend seamlessly with your smile.
We’d love to share more about our West Chester tooth-colored fillings. To speak with a member of our dental team, please call us today at (513) 779-2200.
- Why Your Tooth Needs a Filling
- Reasons to Choose Tooth-Colored Fillings
- Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings in West Chester, OH
Why Your Tooth Needs a Filling
You’re probably familiar with dental fillings and the fact that dentists use them to treat cavities. What you may not know, however, is that dental fillings can mean the difference between saving and losing a natural tooth.
Saying your tooth “has a cavity” is the clinical way of saying that your tooth has a permanent hole in it. Tooth decay and plaque cause these holes, or cavities, to grow over time, and the holes will get bigger if you leave them untreated.
Cavities start very small and are usually painless until they reach the sensitive interior of your tooth. If you have a cavity and your dentist catches it early, you need to have it filled right away to protect your tooth from further decay.
If you ignore a cavity, you will experience pain and sensitivity, and you may:
- Need root canal treatment to save the tooth
- Need a sizeable dental crown to cover the damaged tooth
- Need an extraction if the tooth is beyond saving
Why does your smile need a filling so badly? Because a dental filling stops a cavity in its tracks and keeps the decay from spreading. Your dentist can remove the damaged portion of your tooth using special dental instruments, but without a filling to “fill” the empty space with, your tooth will become fragile and prone to fracturing down the road.
Because damaged teeth need a little extra help to stay healthy and durable, we offer tooth-colored fillings in West Chester, OH to replace your lost tooth matter in a way that looks natural. If your dentist told you that you have a cavity, don’t wait any longer to get it filled. Give us a call today, and we can schedule your cavity filling at our dental office.
Reasons to Choose Tooth-Colored Fillings in West Chester
Years ago, the primary material available to dentists for fillings was a silver amalgam. As their name implies, these fillings are silver and, therefore, very noticeable in the mouth.
Metal fillings tend to be very strong, but as they age, they can give a bluish tint to the tooth, leaving a big dark spot in your smile. Especially if you have cavities in your visible front teeth, amalgam is not usually the most desirable choice.
Eventually, composite resin tooth-colored dental fillings became the top choice for many patients who needed their cavities filled. These modern fillings are less noticeable and more malleable than their metal counterparts.
Today, our West Chester dentist, Dr. Joel Koch, chooses tooth-colored fillings for our patients because they strengthen and protect teeth from further damage. Our patients choose them because of their natural appearance and ability to blend seamlessly with the tooth being treated.
Natural Appearance
Teeth are a unique structure within the body. Although they are light, not every tooth is the same color, and no teeth are truly, entirely white. For a dental restoration to look natural, it must have the “essence” of a tooth without looking overly flawless.
The natural appearance of tooth-colored fillings is one of their best features. Composite fillings consist of clear glass and resin particles. When combined, these particles produce an appearance that is similar to the translucency of natural dental enamel.
At the dental office of Dr. Joel R. Koch, DDS, we can further customize your dental fillings by tailoring the color to blend in with your smile. No one else will ever know that you have a tooth filling, and you’ll even forget when you look at your smile!
Cosmetic Dental Bonding
Filling cavities isn’t the only thing composite resin dental fillings are suitable for.
Due to the natural-looking appearance of dental composites, Dr. Koch also uses the material to alter the shape, size, or spacing of natural teeth to improve their appearance. This process is called dental bonding, and it creates several different opportunities to enhance your smile cosmetically:
- Fill uneven gaps and spaces between teeth
- Repair broken or cracked teeth
- Fill in chipped teeth
- Alter the shape of irregular teeth
Cosmetic dental bonding enables our dental team to fix flaws within your teeth without having to perform any type of major procedure. Our tooth-colored fillings in West Chester are perfect during dental emergencies where you chip a tooth or for everyday use when you decide to fix a flaw in your smile.
Maintain a Healthy Tooth Structure
Tooth-colored fillings repair tooth damage, look great, and strengthen the tooth. The best part about composite resin fillings, however, is that you don’t lose much of your natural tooth when we place them.
Since we bond the tooth-colored material directly to the natural tooth structure, we don’t have to remove much of the tooth to create a firm filling. This method increases the overall strength of the tooth and maintains a healthy tooth structure over time.
A silver filling, on the other hand, sits in a hollowed-out space inside the tooth the dentist is treating. Over time, the dense amalgam filling can pull away from the tooth, leaving areas for bacteria to enter the tooth. Silver fillings are also known to expand and contract when exposed to extreme temperatures, such as ice or hot coffee. With tooth-colored dental fillings, this is not a problem.
Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings in West Chester, OH
If you have a cavity that needs a filling, don’t wait to get treatment! The faster you treat your cavity, the healthier and better off your tooth will be. Postponing your filling only gives the cavity time to spread, and, if it’s left alone long enough, you may require a root canal to save your tooth.
Please contact our dental office to arrange an immediate appointment with our West Chester dentist, Dr. Koch. We think you’ll appreciate the clean and natural look of our tooth-colored fillings and the benefits they offer when compared to amalgam fillings.
For more information or to schedule your tooth filling appointment with us, please call us today at (513) 779-2200.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a cavity, Dr. Koch needs to remove the decay and restore the tooth so that it functions as it should and looks better than when we found it. In the past, dentists were limited by the materials available, like silver amalgam fillings, which were durable, but more functional than aesthetic.
We Offer Tooth-Colored Fillings in West Chester
Today, dentistry has evolved, and Dr. Koch offers his West Chester, OH patients tooth-colored fillings—also known as composite fillings—that improve the aesthetics and function of your smile. They make strong and durable repairs and won’t leave a dark spot in your smile as amalgam fillings do.
Tooth-colored fillings are a blend of resin and glass particles that mimics the appearance of tooth enamel, which is why we also refer to them as dental composites or composite fillings. Dr. Koch customizes tooth-colored fillings for your smile by color-matching the shade to match the tooth he’s repairing to create a seamless repair.
After Dr. Koch expertly places the filling in your tooth, you’ll know it’s there, but you won’t be able to detect it—and no one else will either! Tooth-colored dental fillings blend in so naturally that we rely on them for a treatment called dental bonding that repairs aesthetic flaws like broken or chipped teeth. With proper care, tooth-colored fillings can last from five to seven years.
Contact Our West Chester Office Today
Are you living with a cavity that needs attention or chipped or broken teeth that can benefit from cosmetic bonding? Call our West Chester, OH dental office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Koch to get started.
Dental fillings are a common solution for cavities, and they can last for up to fifteen years if properly cared for. The average life span of a dental filling is around ten years, and with proper maintenance, it can last even longer. Knowing how long your filling will lasts depends on a variety of factors, including:
- The materials used in the composition of the filling (for instance, ceramic fillings last much longer than composite fillings)
- Eating habits
- Overall dental hygiene
- The pre-filling level of damage to the tooth (cracks, chips, worn, decayed)
- Amount and severity of decay around the filling
- Whether you grind your teeth while you sleep
The importance of high-quality fillings to great dental health is obvious in terms of materials and application. So, too, are the feeling of confidence and a sense of well-being that come with having a radiant smile to flash to the world. To that end, natural-looking, tooth-colored fillings are the perfect choice for your fillings.
Tooth-Colored Fillings in West Chester Township
For patients in the West Chester, OH area, dentist Dr. Joel R. Koch offers the placement of tooth-colored fillings that are artfully matched to your natural tooth color, to give you the beautiful smile you deserve.
No one wants to hear they have a cavity, but it’s good to know that the expert dental team at Joel R. Koch, D.D.S., can use tooth-colored composite to restore your tooth’s health and beauty. A tooth-colored filling is a straightforward, comfortable procedure. In less than an hour, you can get back to your busy day.
However, you may wonder if items like red wine, dark sauces, and tobacco can stain your fillings over time. Please keep reading to learn more about how to maintain them for years to come.
Can Tooth-Colored Fillings Stain Over Time?
Composite fillings are made from a durable resin material and are designed to look like your natural teeth.
Although they won’t stain significantly, they can discolor over time due to any of the following:
- Coffee, tea, red wine, and berries
- Tobacco use
- Plaque buildup due to poor oral hygiene
Tips to Keep Your Filling Looking Great
There are some ways to keep your tooth-colored fillings looking their best, including:
- Brushing and flossing your teeth every day
- Limiting stain-causing foods and drinks
- Avoiding smoking or vaping
- Visiting your West Chester dentist for routine cleanings
Need Tooth-Colored Fillings in West Chester, OH?
If you’d like to schedule an appointment for a tooth-colored filling, our experienced dental team is here to assist you! Our durable fillings can restore your tooth and oral health.
Contact our dental office at (513) 779-2200 to take the first step.
Meet Our Doctor:
Joel R. Koch, DDS
Dr. Joel Koch loves working with people. It was this love that guided him to spend his life working in the dental field. Dr. Koch enjoys all aspects of dentistry, from getting to know patients on a personal level to the stimulating challenges that a complex case presents.
Along with his team, Dr. Koch works hard to help his patients feel comfortable while providing exceptional, thorough care. He has spent the past 30 years giving his patients the oral health and beautiful smiles they deserve and looks forward to many more ...
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