Tag Archives: fillings

white fillings replacing old metalIf you’ve been writing a list of New Year’s resolutions for your teeth, now is the time to act on them. Over the years, we put our teeth through an awful lot, including plenty of things that can cause cavities that need fillings and crowns. As time goes on and your teeth change, and so does the structure of these fillings and dental crowns. Often, these changes are not for the best and the dental filling or crown can stop being as effective as it was when it was first placed.

CALL (718) DR-SMILE (718-377-6453) or click here to request an appointment for a dental fillings and crowns consultation today!

If you’ve been having doubts about old fillings or crowns, why not take the New Year as a good chance to do something about it. Replacing old crowns and fillings will help to extend the longevity and health of your teeth. Read below about more benefits to replacing old crowns and fillings.

How long do crowns last before they need replacing?

Generally speaking, dental crowns last between five and fifteen years. This obviously varies on many factors revolving around your personal circumstances. As a rule of thumb, you should feel confident that your crown would keep protecting the nerve ending around your tooth for five years. Most dental insurance plans cover crown replacements for this time period.

Single Crown Before & After
Single Crown Before & After

After five years, you should start paying attention to the area around your crown. Many factors such as the amount of chewing and biting forces, which contribute to unavoidable wear and tear, as well as how well you take care of the area will impact on how long your crown will last.

When you have a crown, make sure you brush and clean the area regularly and thoroughly. This is especially important after the five-year mark. After five years, it is worth checking up with your Bronx dentist and seeing how your crown is coping and if it needs replacing. Prevention is often the best way to deal with this.

When should fillings be replaced? What if I have old metal fillings?

Fillings don’t last forever, unfortunately. What is fortunate, however, is that options with fillings have changed with time. In the past, metal amalgam fillings that stand out like a silver sore thumb in the mouth are no longer the only option. Today there is the option to get tooth-colored fillings that are a much more attractive option. This leads to many people wondering if they should replace all silver amalgam fillings from bygone days.

There are certainly many benefits to composite fillings, some of which include:

  • They don’t contain mercury (unlike amalgam or metal fillings)
  • They strengthen the tooth by bonding to it
  • They look better as the color blends with the tooth
  • They don’t require as much of the tooth to be removed to be placed

However, this doesn’t mean that you need to replace every single metal filling immediately. There are a few factors that can help you decide if now is the right time to replace old fillings for the New Year. Consider the following reasons:

  • Fractured tooth
  • Age which causes looseness around the filling and causes decay to get in
  • Leakage when the bond is no longer strong
  • Cosmetic reasons if the look really does both you that much

The best way to decide if you need to replace old fillings is to consult your dentist. The New Year is the perfect opportunity to book an appointment for all-over dental check up and be sure to ask about any queries you have regarding old fillings.

CALL (718) DR-SMILE (718-377-6453) today for your dental fillings and crowns consultation or click here to request an appointment online.

Here is some history about Saint Patrick’s Day

st-patricks-day-green-dental-officeThe National Irish American Heritage Month was designated by congress in 1995 and there is a celebration of Saint Patrick, The Bishop of Ireland on March 17th. The holiday is to celebrate the Irish culture. The first Saint Patrick’s Day parades began in New York in 1762 by Irish members of the British Army. The holiday was originally started for the Irish to celebrate their past heritage and keep their traditions alive after being separated from their homeland. It is now a worldwide celebration of wearing green, getting pinched if you are not, and parades in several United States cities.

Our Commitment To An Environmentally Friendly Dental Office in the Bronx

You might be interested to know on St. Patrick’s Day, that our dental office in the Bronx is a Green Dentist’s Office! There are several ways that our Bronx dental office is environment friendly.

Non-mercury and non-amalgam fillings

white fillingsWhen we treat cavities with a filling, we use non-mercury and non-amalgam fillings. This means that our office is keeping you, our staff, and the environment healthy by not using toxic mercury materials. When other Bronx dentists use these mercury or amalgam fillings, they normally have to remove more of the natural tooth than is necessary and the material can be toxic to your body. If mercury gets in your body, it does not just go away and it can be transmitted to your children. This is a very important fact about how green we are.

A digital dental office

Our office is also digital. Electronic dental patient reminders through email and text help our office to be greener. We also use digital x-rays which eliminate the chemicals, paper, and foil trash that are products of traditional x-rays. That means that you are not being exposed to those things either. Digital x-rays also use up to 90% less radiation than the traditional kind. There is also less waiting time for a digital x-ray. Your dentist can see your teeth immediately without developing the images.

Rechargeable batteries, water filters and recycling

There are a few more things in the office, such as using rechargeable batteries for our equipment that uses them and energy saving overhead lights. Recycling ink cartridges is another less noticeable way our Bronx dental office is green. Our water filter is much better than water bottles and coolers in the office for the environment. When an instrument or tool gets worn out, we are a part of the recycling program with Henry Schein, and they give us one new instrument for every 12 that we recycle.

A green environment

Our Morris Park Avenue dental office in the Bronx has invested in maintaining a green environment for the earth and the patients. We will continue to research and use the latest green materials and techniques for keeping our dental patients, their teeth, our staff, and the earth healthy!

Call our Morris Park Dentist office and request a dental appointment and consultation for all of your dentistry needs. From cosmetic dentistry to dental implants and dentures, we can help you look and feel great! Call (718) DR.SMILE (718-377-6453) today to find out more about Dentistry In The Bronx.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!