Fillings

Traditional dental restoratives, or fillings, are most often made of silver amalgam. We have not used this material for the past 15 years.

The materials we have chosen over the years have improved. The ingredients' safety have improved. Manufacturers are always releasing new updated composites. We have had numerous patients with extreme allergies. When searching the list of biocompatible materials they could use, they found that our materials were on these lists. I have always search for the best materials; if I would use it on my own family, then it is something I will adopt for my patients. Years ago, I spent much time in dental materials research. I still do teach as a part-time Assistant Professor in the Oral Biology and Pathology Program at Stony Brook Dental School. I am grateful that my research experience was vital in navigating what might be just a new label and what is a product worthy of the quality we look to provide.

What's right for me?

Several factors influence the performance, durability, longevity, and expense of dental restorations, including:

• The components used in the filling material
• The amount of tooth structure remaining
• Where and how the filling is placed
• The chewing load that the tooth will have to bear
• The length and number of visits needed to prepare and adjust the restored tooth

Before your treatment begins, your doctor will discuss with you all of your options and help you choose the best filling for your particular case. In preparation for this discussion, it may be helpful to understand the two basic types of dental fillings — direct and indirect.

• Direct Restorations are fillings placed into a prepared cavity in a single visit. They might include glass ionomers or composite (resin) fillings. The dentist prepares the tooth, places the filling, and adjusts it in one appointment. This preparation may be completed with our laser, which may not even need numbing!
• Indirect Restorations generally require two visits, but we are able to 3D print restorations in house. There is no second visit. In NYC, time is a commodity and we respect that time. The added precision is welcome and the ability to make custom colors is something we enjoy being able to create. The entire workflow is completed with a scan of our E4D machine. The subsequent porcelain restoration is up to three times stronger than your original natural dentition. These are monolithic restorations (all one piece) meaning the color is much more aesthetic than ever before.
• The Ivoclar Corporation has created dental porcelain since 1923 and is still a leader and innovator. Our crowns have used this porcelain for many years and we find it to be both strong and beautiful.