Fillings
Tooth-Colored Fillings in Greenwich, CT
Composite bonded in careful layers, shaded to match your tooth, and shaped to fit your bite comfortably before you leave the chair.
What it involves
A filling tends to fail at its edges. Placed all at once, composite shrinks slightly as it sets and can pull away from the tooth; layered and cured carefully, it seals tightly instead. That difference is most of what separates a filling that lasts a decade from one that needs redoing within a couple of years.
We also replace a fair number of older silver fillings, not simply because of how they look, but when the surrounding tooth has begun to crack or stain, which can happen as the metal expands and contracts over years of exposure to hot and cold.
Material
Layered composite, shade-matched to the surrounding enamel
Comfort
Anesthetic layered slowly; most patients feel very little at all
Old amalgams
Replaced when the tooth shows cracking, staining or a leaking margin
Patient rating
5.0 from 121 reviews
Who this is for
When we recommend it
- A new cavity has been found at a routine exam.
- An old silver filling has started to show a dark line, a crack, or staining in the tooth around it.
- You would rather a repaired tooth not show when you smile or laugh.
- A filling has chipped out or feels rough against your tongue.
- You want a straight answer on whether an aging filling actually needs replacing.
Step by step
How the treatment runs
- 01
Anesthetic, if needed
Delivered slowly and in stages, so most patients feel little more than pressure, if anything at all.
- 02
Decay removed
We remove only the compromised part of the tooth and leave healthy structure alone.
- 03
Composite layered
The filling is built up in thin layers, each one cured with light before the next is added, which is what keeps the seal tight at the edges.
- 04
Shaped and polished
We check your bite and polish the surface before you leave, so there is no adjustment period.
Afterwards
What to expect once you leave
Same day
Numbness fades within a couple of hours. Avoid chewing on that side until feeling returns fully.
First week
Mild sensitivity to hot, cold or pressure is common and usually settles within a few days on its own.
Long term
A well-placed composite filling is checked at each cleaning for wear or a leaking edge, well before it would cause a problem.
The fee depends on how many surfaces of the tooth are involved and whether an old filling is simply being replaced or the tooth needs more rebuilding underneath, which is why we examine before quoting.
You receive a written estimate before treatment starts, and we file the claim with your insurer on your behalf even though we are out-of-network.
Cards and HSA or FSA funds are accepted.
Other ways to go
What we would also put in front of you
Watch a very small spot
Reasonable for early, non-cavitated staining, but it needs re-checking at every visit rather than being ignored.
Onlay or crown
Better for a tooth so broken down that a filling would leave too little structure to support it.
Read moreLeave an old filling alone
Sensible when it shows no cracking, staining or leakage. Replacement is done for a reason, not on principle.
Why patients choose us for this
Layered, not bulk-filled
Composite placed in thin, cured layers seals better at the margin, which is most of what determines how long a filling lasts.
Shade matched carefully
We match fillings to the surrounding enamel so the repair is not visible in conversation or in photographs.
Comfort our patients notice
Slow, staged delivery of anesthetic is one of the details our patients mention most often, not the filling itself.
5.0 from 121 reviews
“If you have 'dentist dread,' go see Dr. Angela Marwaha at Greenwich Dental Studio. She is easily the best dentist I have ever had. She handled my filling with so much care, layering the anesthetic so I didn't feel a thing. It was my first 100% pain-free filling experience.”
People come to us with
Q & A
Questions we are asked about tooth-colored fillings
Not simply because they are silver. We recommend replacement when the margin is leaking, the surrounding tooth has cracked, or the filling is large enough that the remaining tooth would benefit from full coverage instead.
A well-placed composite filling in a small to medium cavity commonly lasts seven to twelve years. Very large fillings tend to hold up less well, and that is often when an onlay or crown becomes the more practical option.
Usually not. We deliver anesthetic slowly and in stages, which makes a significant difference, and it is one of the things patients mention most often in their reviews.
With numbing, most patients feel pressure at most. Any soreness afterward is usually mild and gone within a few days.
A single filling typically takes well under an hour, including numbing time. Multiple teeth in one visit take longer but are still usually done in one appointment.
Seven to twelve years is common for a small or medium filling. Very large ones wear faster, which is when an onlay or crown becomes the more durable option.
Wait until the numbness has fully worn off so you do not accidentally bite your cheek or tongue, then eating normally is fine.
Decay does not stop on its own. It spreads deeper into the tooth, and a cavity that could be filled today may need root canal treatment later.
Where we are
Cos Cob, minutes from central Greenwich
211 East Putnam Avenue, Suite 2-6, Cos Cob, CT 06807. Parking at the building. Mon–Tue 8a–7p, Wed–Thu 8a–5p, Fri 9a–2p.
Tooth-Colored Fillings for patients in
Often considered alongside
Tell us what is bothering you and we will tell you what it takes to fix it.