7 Peaks Dental offers teeth fillings and restorations to people living in Central Oregon. The team is well educated in the process and welcomes you to read about the different practices applied for each unique patient. 

Silver or Amalgam Fillings

Silver fillings have been used for more than 180 years, can be quickly placed, they are relatively inexpensive, and very comparable in durability to a composite (white) filling.  Silver fillings do not bond to the tooth structure, rather, the filling is packed into the “undercut” tooth. Undercut means that the dentist needs to create a chamber that is smaller at the surface of the tooth and wider inside. This undercut keeps the filling from falling out of the tooth. After tooth decay is removed and cleaned, this amalgam material is packed into the tooth and shaped. It commonly consists of mercury, silver, tin, copper and other trace metals. Silver fillings are used for filling decay on a portion of a back, posterior tooth. Silver is never used to fix decay on an anterior, or front tooth. Silver fillings may be an appropriate choice depending on the circumstances.  Please ask Dr. Baraff and her staff to discuss your situation and concerns you may have.

Composite Fillings

Composite is a tooth-colored filling material that is used to repair decayed, chipped or cracked teeth. The composite filling is bonded directly to the tooth using advanced adhesive technology, which helps strengthen and reinforce the tooth.  Tooth colored composite fillings look very natural, so no one will know your tooth has been restored.  Composite fillings are used for small or medium sized fillings in posterior teeth.  These are the standard fillings that Dr. Baraff will generally do.
 

Direct Bonding Treatment

Dental bonding is an efficient way to fix a cracked or chipped tooth, or a gap between front teeth, and it is very inexpensive compared to some alternative cosmetic dental procedures. Dental bonding can be used to correct slight discolorations or reshape a few teeth. Dentists can use dental bonding to sculpt the shape and size of your teeth, and can replicate the color, translucency, and texture of your natural teeth so that the repair is virtually undetectable. The adhesive technology used in dental bonding makes the repaired tooth more resistant to chipping and cracking. If you are seeking a complete smile makeover and want to straighten all your teeth, or correct defects that appear on more than one or two teeth, porcelain veneers or crowns would be a better option.