Tooth-colored fillings in Miami at Prana Dental repair cavities with a composite material shaded to match your tooth, so the repair is hard to spot when you smile or laugh. Dr. Aakash Rana, DDS looks for decay while it is still small, shows you what he sees on the image, and keeps as much of your natural tooth as he can.
Price: depends on which tooth, how many of its surfaces are involved and whether an old filling has to come out first. The exact price is confirmed in writing before treatment.
A cavity is a spot where acid made by mouth bacteria has dissolved part of the tooth. Early on it often causes no feeling at all, because the outer enamel has no nerves. As it grows into the softer layer underneath, these are the signs people tend to notice:
Plenty of cavities show none of these signs and are found only at a checkup. That is not bad luck; it is simply how decay starts. Pain that throbs, lingers after the cold is gone or wakes you at night is a different story and can mean the nerve is involved, so call us sooner rather than later.
Some early weak spots in the enamel have not broken through to a real hole yet. Those can sometimes harden again with fluoride, better cleaning between the teeth and fewer sugary snacks. In that case we may suggest watching the spot and checking it again at your next visit rather than drilling it now.
Once decay has gone past the enamel, it doesn't heal on its own, and waiting usually means a larger filling later. We show you the image and explain which category your tooth is in, so the choice makes sense to you.
We place tooth-colored composite fillings. Composite is a resin mixed with very fine glass or ceramic particles. It is placed soft, shaped to the tooth and hardened with a blue curing light, and it bonds to the tooth surface. Because it sticks to the tooth, the dentist can often remove less healthy tooth structure than a traditional silver filling needs to stay in place.
Silver-colored amalgam has been used for well over a century. It is durable and forgiving to place, and it contains mercury bound into a metal alloy. The American Dental Association considers amalgam a safe, effective material. The FDA has suggested that certain higher-risk groups, such as people who are pregnant or nursing and young children, consider other materials when appropriate. If you have questions about your own situation, ask us and we will talk it through calmly.
| Tooth-colored composite | Silver amalgam | |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Matched to your tooth shade | Silver, darkens over time |
| How it stays in | Bonds to the tooth | Held by the shape of the preparation |
| Tooth removed | Often less | Often more, to create that shape |
| Placement | Needs a dry tooth and careful layering | More tolerant of moisture |
| Wear over time | Can stain or wear, especially large fillings on back teeth | Durable, can expand and crack the tooth over many years |
Neither material lasts forever. How long a filling holds up depends more on its size, its position, your bite, grinding and your cleaning habits than on the label.
Fillings wear out. Edges can chip, small gaps can open where the filling meets the tooth, and decay can start again underneath. Old silver fillings sometimes show fine crack lines in the tooth around them. Those are good reasons to replace a filling, and we can usually see them on the exam and X-rays before they cause pain.
What we don't recommend is drilling out sound, intact silver fillings only because of the material. Every time a filling is replaced, a little more healthy tooth goes with it. If you would like old fillings changed for appearance, for example a dark filling that shows when you smile, that is a fair choice; we'll explain the tradeoffs and how insurance usually treats a cosmetic replacement.
A very large old filling is sometimes better replaced with a crown, because a new filling would leave thin walls of tooth that can break. We'll tell you if your tooth is in that group.
The spot where two teeth touch is where many adult cavities begin, and it is impossible to see in a mirror. Bitewing X-rays show it clearly, which is why we take them even when nothing hurts. Our post on cavities between teeth and X-rays explains why they hide so well.
Fixing a cavity between teeth takes a little extra care. A thin band is placed around the tooth so the composite can be built back up to touch its neighbor firmly. The goal is a contact that floss snaps through, with no ledge for food to catch on. A loose contact that traps food can lead to sore gums and a new cavity next door.
Most fillings are done in one visit. Here is the usual order:
Time depends on the size of the filling and how many teeth we treat. A single small filling is often a short visit. Several fillings can be done together, or spread over visits if you prefer shorter appointments.
Most fillings are done with local anesthetic, and with it you should feel vibration and pressure but not pain. A few very shallow fillings can be done without numbing if you would rather skip it; we'll tell you honestly whether yours is one of them.
The numbness usually lasts a few hours. Until it wears off, don't chew on that side, be careful with hot drinks, and keep an eye on kids so they don't bite their lip or cheek. If you get nervous at the dentist, tell us. We go at your pace, explain each step in English or Spanish, and oral sedation is available for people who need more help relaxing.
Some sensitivity after a filling is common, especially when the cavity was deep. The tooth may react to cold or to biting for a few days to a few weeks, and it should get a little better as time passes. A toothpaste for sensitive teeth can help. The gum around the tooth may also feel tender for a day where the band sat.
A filling works when there is enough healthy tooth around it to hold it and take the force of chewing. When the damage is bigger, a different treatment protects the tooth better:
Our post on signs you need a filling or a crown walks through how that call is made. A chipped front tooth without decay is often a job for dental bonding instead, which uses the same tooth-colored material.
Cavities in baby teeth are worth treating. Baby teeth hold space for the adult teeth, help children chew and speak, and a cavity left alone can grow fast and become painful or infected. As a family practice, we see kids, teens and adults, so parents and children can often be seen at the same office.
With kids we explain things in simple words, go slowly, and let a parent stay close. Small cavities in children are often filled with the same tooth-colored material we use for adults. Sealants and fluoride help prevent the next one. Dr. Rana is a general dentist, so if a child needs extensive treatment or care that is better done in a children's dental office, we refer to a pediatric dentist. Read more on our kids dentist page.
The price of a filling depends on the tooth and on the size of the repair, so we confirm the exact price in writing before treatment. The main things that change it:
The single biggest way to keep the cost down is to treat a cavity while it is small. A small filling now is usually far simpler than a crown or a root canal later. For larger plans, 0% financing is available on approved credit through CareCredit, Cherry and LendingClub; see financing.
We accept most major dental insurance. Many plans cover preventive visits at a high percentage and treat fillings as basic services, paid at a lower percentage after your deductible. Some plans pay for a tooth-colored filling on a back tooth only at the rate of a silver filling, which leaves you a difference to pay. Many plans also have waiting periods for basic services and annual maximums that are often in the $1,000 to $2,000 range.
A filling replaced only for appearance may not be covered at all. Bring your insurance details to your visit and we check your benefits for you.
Fillings fix damage; habits prevent it. These are the steps that make the biggest difference for most people:
Prana Dental is at 3050 Biscayne Blvd, Suite 703, at NE 30th Street in Edgewater, with building and street parking. We are a few minutes from Midtown and Wynwood, and an easy drive up Biscayne from Downtown and Brickell or across the causeway from Miami Beach, depending on traffic. Hours are Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm. Fillings are one part of our general dentistry care, alongside checkups, crowns and root canals.
Dr. Aakash Rana, DDS is a general dentist trained at NYU College of Dentistry, with more than $100,000 in continuing education. He plans and treats each case at Prana Dental himself, works with our in-house lab, and refers to a specialist when a case needs one.
Common signs are brief sensitivity to sweets or cold, a twinge when biting, or a dark spot or hole you can see or feel. Many cavities cause no symptoms at all, especially between teeth, which is why an exam and X-rays are the reliable way to know.
The tooth is numbed with local anesthetic first, so most people feel pressure and vibration but not pain. Some soreness or sensitivity for a few days afterward is common. If you are nervous, tell us and we will go at your pace; oral sedation is also available.
Many tooth-colored fillings last for years, and some much longer. How long yours lasts depends on its size, where it is, your bite, grinding, and how well the area is cleaned. Regular checkups let us spot wear early and repair it before the tooth is damaged.
Yes, mild sensitivity to cold or biting for a few days to a few weeks is common and usually fades. If your bite feels high, call us for a quick adjustment. Throbbing pain, pain that lingers, or pain that wakes you at night should be checked.
Not just because they are silver. The ADA considers amalgam safe, and removing a sound filling also removes some healthy tooth. We recommend replacing a filling when it is cracked, leaking, or has decay underneath, and you can choose to replace one for appearance after we explain the tradeoffs.
It depends on which tooth, how many surfaces need repair, and whether an old filling has to come out first. We confirm the exact price in writing before treatment. We accept most major dental insurance, and 0% financing is available on approved credit for larger plans.
Many plans cover fillings as a basic service, after the deductible and up to the annual maximum. Some plans pay for a tooth-colored filling on a back tooth only at the silver-filling rate, so you may owe the difference. We check your benefits for you.
Call or text (786) 579-0521 to get it checked while it's small.