Teeth with White Fillings Needn't Be Sensitive

Dental white fillings became an option over silver fillings in the mid-1980’s. The earliest of these white fillings wore down too quickly and were characterized by sensitivity to air, cold, or to sweets. As the years have progressed the strength of these white fillings has increased immensely. Dental science has also obtained the research to minimize or to eliminate the sensitivity as well. However, we do still hear patients complain of white fillings that were placed at another dental office.
To be honest with you, dentists must be much more meticulous in their technique with white fillings than they were with silver fillings. The bonding procedure associated with white fillings requires an attention to detail that is very possible to obtain but is also possible to overlook. During the bonding procedure steps need to be timed, they need to be done in the right order, and an attention to moisture control is a must. Saliva can severely affect the ability to bond. Too dry of a tooth surface may create severe sensitivity following placement of the filling. Attention to detail is vitally important to the success of these white fillings.
As a result of the requirement for this keen attention to detail, there may be times when dentists fail to maintain this attention. If a dentist is stressed for time and if patients are waiting for care in other treatment rooms or in the waiting room, techniques may become less meticulous. If dental insurance managed-care plans are squeezing the profitability of procedures, some dentists may feel the need to purchase lesser expensive materials which may not be as well made. These same insurance plans may motivate some dentists to overfill their schedules in order to provide more care in less time which may sacrifice this attention to detail. Some dental practices may be staffed by non-owner dentists who may have less of a commitment to the patients or to the dental practice, and these non-owner dentists may be paid by how much work they accomplish per day and thus their techniques may also be less precise.
Our patients realize the characteristics of me and my dental practice. They know I am the sole owner and the sole dentist. They know I have owned the practice since 1986. They know me to be careful, diligent, quality-conscious, patient-centered, honest, and supportive of any care they receive. Our patients know of our online reputation through our wonderful reviews. Our patients also know we have never signed an insurance contract with a PPO or other managed care program because of our desire to do our best for our patients.
We truly are willing to go the extra mile for our patients and their care. We do manage our techniques and materials to prevent as much as possible any sensitivity that may commonly be associated with white fillings. If you are interested in our practice management and philosophy, we invite you to contact us in any way you see available on this web page.