When tooth decay strikes, composite fillings offer a natural-looking solution that restores both function and appearance. Unlike traditional metal fillings, these tooth-colored restorations blend seamlessly with your natural teeth while effectively repairing damage caused by cavities, small fractures, or wear. Modern composite materials provide excellent durability in most locations throughout the mouth, allowing you to smile, speak, and eat with confidence knowing your restoration is virtually invisible to others.
At Floss Lincoln Park, we exclusively use high-quality composite materials for a more aesthetic and biocompatible approach to treating dental decay. Our doctors bring precise technique and an artistic eye to every filling, ensuring natural contours and color matching that complement your smile. With our extended hours from 7 AM to 7 PM on weekdays and Saturday availability, we make receiving dental treatment convenient even for the busiest schedules.
Advantages of Composite Fillings
Composite fillings represent a significant advancement over traditional amalgam (metal) fillings, offering both aesthetic and functional benefits. The most obvious advantage is their natural appearance—composite materials can be precisely color-matched to your existing teeth, making them virtually undetectable when you speak or smile.
Beyond aesthetics, composite fillings require less removal of healthy tooth structure compared to amalgam. The composite material bonds directly to your tooth, providing excellent support while preserving more of your natural tooth. This conservative approach helps maintain tooth strength and reduces the risk of fractures or sensitivity that can occur with larger amalgam preparations.
For environmentally and health-conscious patients, composite fillings offer peace of mind as they contain no mercury or other metals. They also respond to temperature changes similarly to natural tooth structure, reducing the expansion and contraction that can sometimes lead to cracks or leakage with metal fillings over time.
The Composite Filling Process
Receiving a composite filling at Floss Lincoln Park typically takes just one appointment and follows a straightforward process designed for your comfort. We begin by thoroughly numbing the area with local anesthetic, ensuring you remain comfortable throughout the procedure.
Once you’re completely comfortable, we carefully remove the decayed or damaged portion of your tooth while preserving as much healthy structure as possible. The composite material is applied in thin layers, with each layer hardened using a special curing light. This layering technique allows for precise building of the filling to recreate your tooth’s natural contours and contact points with adjacent teeth. After the final layer is placed, we meticulously shape and polish the restoration to ensure proper bite alignment and a smooth surface that feels natural against your tongue.
When Composite Fillings Are Recommended
Composite fillings are versatile restorations suitable for treating various dental concerns beyond just typical cavities. Our doctors may recommend composite fillings for:
- Small to moderate-sized cavities, particularly in visible areas of your smile
- Minor chips or fractures that don’t require full crown coverage
- Closing small gaps between teeth (diastema)
- Repairing worn edges of teeth from grinding or acid erosion
- Replacing older, deteriorating amalgam fillings
- Cosmetic improvements to teeth with minor shape or color imperfections
For larger areas of decay or in situations with high biting forces, we may recommend alternative restorations like inlays, onlays, or crowns for better long-term success.
Composite Filling Costs & Financing Options
Estimated Range: $280–$500 per tooth
Monthly Payments Starting At: $30
Floss Lincoln Park provides composite tooth-colored fillings to restore decayed or damaged teeth, priced between $280 and $500 per tooth. With CareCredit, you can spread payments out starting at $30 per month. We also accept a broad range of insurance plans to help reduce your out-of-pocket costs.1
Book your appointment today and treat cavities with a natural-looking solution—financing and insurance options available to help manage your care.
