Dental Fillings on the Upper West Side

Smiles On The Upper Westside provides dental fillings in the UWS neighborhood of NYC. Call 212-222-5225 to schedule your first appointment.

When a tooth develops a cavity, the decay will continue to spread over time, compromising the tooth structure and your overall oral health. By taking a proactive approach and treating cavities early, we can prevent the need for more complex and costly restorative dental procedures like crowns, root canals, bridges, and dental implants.

Teeth that only have a small amount of decay can be restored with a dental filling. The area of decay is removed, then a filling is placed to restore function, strength, and appearance. At Smiles on the Upper Westside, we use aesthetic tooth-colored fillings for a natural look.

Amalgam fillings (also known as metal fillings or silver fillings) used to be standard in dentistry, but these days, tooth-colored composite material is used much more often. Sometimes referred to as white fillings, composite fillings are made to blend in with the natural tooth, so they are less noticeable than traditional amalgam fillings. Patients also appreciate that tooth-colored fillings are not sensitive to hot and cold, which means you won’t experience painful temperature sensitivity.

Another advantage of tooth-colored fillings is that they do not contain mercury, which is in the alloy used for metal fillings. If you are concerned about your older metal fillings, you may wish to replace them with modern tooth-colored composite fillings. We can go over that process with you during your next visit to our office.

Tooth-colored dental fillings usually last at least a decade, and can last even longer with proper care and maintenance, including good home oral hygiene and regular dental evaluations and cleanings.

Tooth-colored composite fillings are the recommended dental filling these days, both for their safety and for their discreet appearance.

Today’s white fillings are much stronger than they were when they were first introduced. Advances in technology have resulted in a more durable restoration that will stand the test of time.

No, they do the opposite—they strengthen your teeth! By replacing the decayed tooth structure, dental fillings restore strength and function to teeth that were compromised by cavities.

The first step in getting a cavity filled is numbing the area with local anesthetic to ensure your comfort. Next, the area of decay is removed with a dental drill. Your tooth is cleaned, then the filling is placed, cured, and filed for a smooth feel and comfortable bite.

If you have a very deep cavity, you may need to have a crown instead of a dental filling. When decay reaches the pulp of a tooth, a root canal is needed, followed by a dental filling or crown to restore strength and function.

Call 212-222-5225 to schedule your appointment.