Jason T. Ford, D.D.S. -- Our Services

Amalgams
Another option to restore a smaller defect is a silver filling or amalgams. Amalgams have been used for more than a hundred years and have done very well for themselves. These fillings themselves are very strong, but they do not support the surrounding tooth structure as well as composites. Recently a lot of publicity has surrounded the mercury content of these fillings, but as to date, no clinical studies have shown any negative effects of using amalgam as tooth fillings, although some people may have a mercury sensitivity. Most insurances only cover the cost of amalgams because they consider these adequate restorations. While they are satisfactory fillings, we believe composites create a much more whole tooth, both in structure and in color. Composites are more expensive because they are much more complicated to place and have many steps involved.


		Getting Started
		Gentle Cleanings
		Tooth Restoration
		Composites
		Amalgams
		Tooth Colored Crowns/Bridges
		Gold Crowns and Bridges
		Tooth Whitening
		Consultations
		TMJ Therapy
		Dentures and Partial Dentures
		Implants
		Extractions
		Root Canals
		Periodontal Surgery

Tooth Colored Crowns and Bridges
If the defect in your teeth is too large, a cap or crown may be necessary. We try to be as conservative as we can with your tooth structure by doing fillings as often as we can, but sometimes these will not deliver adequate strength for a long period. Crowns are not as conservative as fillings because tooth structure must be removed to create them, but they usually create much stronger teeth than those with larger fillings. Many types of tooth colored crowns are available, varying in cost, color, and strength..

Gold Crowns and Bridges
These provide the same strength and support as a tooth colored crowns or bridges, but they are made of yellow gold. They are more conservative than tooth colored crowns and bridges because gold is strong when it is thin, while porcelain is fragile unless it is thicker, so less tooth structure has to be remove to make a gold crown or bridge. The only real downside of gold crowns and bridges is that they have the color of gold, so these are not usually used in aesthetic areas.