Tooth Fillings – Before/After Photos Herculite

Have you ever been at a fast food counter, and noticed that the sales clerk has black decay in between her teeth?  I know I have.  I have never handed them my business card, but I have been tempted because these can be so easy to repair when they are caught early.  Recently we did a case where a patient came in for a routine cleaning, and we noticed decay on her front tooth. Here are the before and after photos of her front tooth.

In this case, we were able to remove all the decay, gaining access from the back side of the tooth we were able to leave all the enamel on the front side of the tooth intact.  The patient’s smile remains gorgeous. In this case, we removed all the decay; we then used Optibond Solo Plus from Kerr for adhesive.  Next was the Herculite XRV composite filling material from Kerr, then curing the filling in place.

Composite Tooth Fillings from Kerr

In this instance, the filling does not show when the patient smiles, in spite of the fact that nobody will ever see the filling, we color matched the filling as close as possible.

If this filling had to be placed on the front of the tooth, we would use a “feathered margin.”  When the margin is beveled or feathered, the margin disappears.  You don’t see the line between the tooth and the filling.  In this case, where the filling will not be seen, we are going with a 90-degree “butt-joint” margin.  The advantage of this type of margin is that you have less chipping on the beveled filling material, especially at a location where the opposing tooth will be chewing on this spot.
So, how long has it been since your last exam?  Is it possible that you have some hidden decay?

You do know it is better to repair the situation while the decay is still small.

Give us a call.  We at Seasons of Smiles Dental love your smile, and we are here to help you keep your smile in tip top shape.