White Fillings in Scarborough

We offer white fillings to replace amalgam fillings

White Fillings are ideal for patients who are sensitive to metals and are concerned about the mercury content of an amalgam filling, or who simply want to preserve their natural beautiful smile.

White fillings, or composite fillings, are made from a tooth-colored material that restores the natural appearance of a decayed or previously metal filled tooth cavity. Because white fillings blend perfectly with your tooth enamel, Dr. Shawn Monga or Dr. Shiva Monga will often recommend them if the tooth in question is near the front of your mouth and also for back teeth as black fillings are gradually faded out.

A white dental filling typically requires only one dental visit, during which the tooth or teeth are prepared and restored with white tooth fillings. An advantage of white tooth fillings, as compared with other dental restorations, is that they need less of the healthy part of a tooth to be removed to hold the filling in position. This is due to the filling’s composite material being capable of bonding to the teeth more tightly.

A composite filling is a soft, putty-like resin that we shade to match the tooth we're working on. Once it's hardened and polished, light reflects off it much the way it does off natural enamel, so it tends to disappear against the rest of your tooth. That's a big part of why so many people pick it over the older silver-coloured material.

Because the resin is tooth-coloured rather than metallic, it works well on teeth that show when you talk or smile, and it keeps a back tooth from flashing dark when you laugh. If you're exploring options across our cosmetic dentistry services, composite is often the most straightforward way to repair a tooth while keeping it looking like itself.

Both materials repair a tooth after decay is removed, and the right choice depends on the tooth, the size of the cavity, and what matters most to you. Here's how composite compares on the points patients ask about most:

• Appearance — composite is matched to your tooth shade, while amalgam stays silver-grey.
• How it stays put — composite bonds directly to the tooth, whereas amalgam relies more on the shape of the prepared cavity.
• Tooth structure — because composite bonds, we can sometimes remove a little less healthy tooth to hold the filling in place.

None of this is about scaring anyone away from existing fillings. Plenty of amalgam fillings do their job for years. We're simply happy to walk you through the trade-offs so you can decide what suits the tooth and your preferences.

Most white fillings are done in a single visit. Knowing the order of events can take some of the unknown out of it:

1. We numb the area around the tooth so you're comfortable while we work.
2. We gently remove the decay and clean the space that's left behind.
3. We place the composite in thin layers, shaping it to fit the tooth.
4. Each layer is hardened with a curing light before the next goes on.
5. We check your bite, make small adjustments, and polish the filling smooth.

When you bite down at the end, the filling should feel like part of your tooth. If anything feels high or off, tell us before you leave and we'll fine-tune it on the spot.

No filling lasts forever. Over the years an older filling can wear, stain at the edges, or start to leak where it meets the tooth, and sometimes new decay forms underneath. When that happens we can take out the old material, clean the tooth, and rebuild it with a fresh tooth-coloured filling. Some people also ask us to swap out visible silver fillings simply because they'd prefer a more natural look.

After your filling

It's normal for a tooth to feel a little sensitive to hot, cold, or pressure for a few days while it settles, and that usually fades on its own. Looking after a composite filling is the same as looking after the rest of your teeth: brush twice a day, floss around it, and keep up your checkups and cleanings so we can keep an eye on it over time. If you're weighing a filling against a more cosmetic repair like reshaping a chip, cosmetic bonding uses a similar material and we're glad to talk through which fits.

Whether you need a new filling or want an older one replaced, both are covered under the Canadian Dental Care Plan, and our team can help you sort out the coverage details.