Tooth-Colored Fillings in Duluth, MN
Cavities filled with composite that matches your tooth, placed in one visit, often with a laser and less numbing.
Mount Royal Dental has used tooth-colored fillings since the practice opened in 2013. No silver fillings.
Key highlights
- A filling replaces the part of a tooth lost to decay or a small break.
- We use composite resin, matched to your tooth. We don't place silver amalgam.
- The FDA recommends that pregnant women, young children, and several other groups avoid amalgam.
- Composite back-tooth fillings fail at about 2% a year in long-term studies, mostly from new decay or fracture.
- Very early cavities can skip the filling and get Curodont instead.
- Most fillings take 30 to 60 minutes.
What is a tooth-colored filling?
A tooth-colored filling is composite resin bonded into a tooth to replace the part lost to decay or a small fracture, shaped and hardened in the chair in one visit.
The composite is a blend of resin and glass particles. It bonds to the tooth, which means we remove less healthy tooth than a silver filling needs. It comes in shades, so the filling disappears.
Composite vs. amalgam vs. onlay
| Composite filling | Amalgam (silver) | Onlay | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look | Matches the tooth | Silver, darkens over time | Matches the tooth |
| Bonds to tooth | Yes | No; held by shape | Yes |
| Tooth removed | Only the decay | Decay plus extra for retention | Decay plus a cusp |
| Mercury | None | About half by weight | None |
| Best for | Small to medium cavities | We don't place it | Large cavities with strong walls |
| Visits | One | One | One, with CEREC |
In 2020 the FDA recommended that certain groups avoid new amalgam fillings: pregnant and nursing women, women planning pregnancy, children under six, and people with kidney disease, neurological disease, or a mercury allergy. The FDA does not recommend removing amalgam that's in good shape.
We place composite for everyone. When a cavity is too big for a filling, an onlay or crown takes over.
When a tooth needs a filling, and when it doesn't
Decay that has broken through the enamel into the layer underneath. On an x-ray, that's a shadow reaching past the outer edge. In the chair, it's a soft spot.
A white spot or a faint shadow still inside the enamel. We treat those with Curodont, a brush-on treatment that helps the tooth rebuild. No drill.
Decay under a cusp, a cracked wall, or a cavity that takes up most of the tooth. That's onlay or crown territory. A filling there breaks.
We show you the x-ray and the camera image and tell you which group you're in.
Replacing old silver fillings
We replace amalgam when it's cracked, leaking, or has decay underneath. We don't replace it just because it's silver.
Old amalgam expands and contracts with heat. Over years, that can crack the tooth around it. When we see a crack forming, we recommend replacing the filling with composite or an onlay to protect the walls.
When we do remove amalgam, we use high-volume suction and a rubber dam to keep particles out of your mouth.
Laser fillings
Many fillings at our office are done with a dental laser instead of a drill.
The laser removes decay with light and water. There's no vibration and no whine. For many small and medium cavities, it works with little or no numbing, which means no shot and no numb lip for the afternoon. For deeper cavities we still numb.
Laser dentistryIs a filling right for your tooth?
A filling is the answer
- A small to medium cavity with strong walls
- A chipped back tooth with the cusps intact
- Replacing a worn or leaking old filling
Let's talk it through first
- A cavity near the nerve, where sensitivity may follow
- A tooth with an old amalgam and a hairline crack
- Several cavities at once, where we look at why
Something else fits better
- A white spot or early lesion, which gets Curodont
- A cavity under a cusp or a cracked wall, which needs an onlay or crown
- A tooth with nerve pain, which needs a root canal first
What we do, and what we don't
What we do
We place tooth-colored fillings in one visit, with a laser where it fits and numbing where it's needed. We treat early cavities without a filling, and we replace amalgam that's failing.
What we don't
We don't place silver fillings. We don't fill a tooth that needs a crown, because the filling will break and the tooth with it. And we don't remove sound amalgam because it's silver, since the FDA doesn't recommend it and drilling out a good filling costs tooth.
Your filling visit, step by step
- 01Confirm the cavity.X-ray and a look with the intraoral camera. You see what we see.
- 02Numbing, or not.Deep cavities get numbed. Many shallow ones get the laser with no shot.
- 03Remove the decay.Laser or drill, until the tooth is clean. We check with a dye that stains any decay left behind.
- 04Bond and build.A bonding agent goes on first. Composite goes in thin layers, each hardened with a blue light. Layers matter. A filling placed in one thick blob shrinks and leaks.
- 05Shape and polish.We carve the chewing surface to match the tooth and polish it smooth. A rough filling collects plaque.
- 06Bite check.You tap your teeth together on marking paper. A filling that sits high aches for weeks. We adjust it now.
Plan on 30 to 60 minutes for one tooth.
After your filling
- Wait until numbness wears off to eat. Cheeks and tongues get bitten.
- Mild cold sensitivity for a week or two is normal.
- If your bite feels high, call. A two-minute adjustment fixes it.
- Brush and floss the filled tooth like any other.
How long fillings last
A meta-analysis of twelve long-term studies found that back-tooth composite fillings fail at about 1.8% a year at five years and 2.4% at ten. The main reasons were new decay at the edge and fracture.
What shortens a filling's life
High cavity risk. Large fillings with several surfaces. Grinding. Skipping floss, which feeds decay at the edges.
What extends it
A night guard if you grind. Flossing. Regular checkups, where we catch an edge starting to fail while it's still a small repair.
Fillings for kids
Kids get the same composite. Baby teeth with cavities usually need fillings, because decay spreads and baby molars hold space for adult teeth until around twelve. The laser makes fillings easier for kids who dread the shot, and nitrous oxide is available. Children's dentistry
Cost and insurance
Filling cost depends on how many surfaces of the tooth the filling covers. One surface costs less than three. You get the cost in writing at your exam.
Most dental plans cover fillings at a high percentage. We file claims on your behalf and offer interest-free CareCredit plans. Our Membership Program discounts fillings for patients without insurance. Financing and membership
Fillings FAQ
Do fillings hurt?
Fillings don't hurt during the visit. Deep cavities are numbed, and many shallow ones are done with a laser and no shot. Mild sensitivity for a week or two afterward is normal.
How long does a filling take?
A filling takes about 30 to 60 minutes for one tooth. Several teeth in one quadrant can be done in the same visit.
How long do tooth-colored fillings last?
Tooth-colored fillings on back teeth fail at about 2% a year in long-term studies, so most last many years. Flossing and a night guard extend that.
Are white fillings as strong as silver?
Composite fillings bond to the tooth and hold up well for small to medium cavities. Very large cavities do better with an onlay or crown regardless of material.
Should I replace my silver fillings?
Silver fillings should be replaced when they're cracked, leaking, or have decay underneath. The FDA doesn't recommend removing amalgam that's in good condition.
Can a cavity be treated without a filling?
Early cavities that haven't broken through the enamel can be treated with Curodont, a brush-on treatment that helps the tooth rebuild. We check which stage yours is at.
Can I eat after a filling?
You can eat once the numbness wears off. Composite is fully hardened when you leave.
Where can I get a tooth-colored filling near me in the Duluth area?
Mount Royal Dental places tooth-colored fillings at our office on Woodland Avenue in Duluth, MN. Patients come from Hermantown, Superior, Two Harbors, and Cloquet. Call (218) 464-5222.
Fillings on Woodland Avenue
Mount Royal Dental sits at 1624 Woodland Avenue, Duluth, MN 55803, at the corner of Woodland and St. Marie, next to the Mount Royal Shopping Center near UMD.
Monday 8 to 3, Tuesday through Thursday 8 to 4:30, Friday closed. Call (218) 464-5222.
