Reviewed by Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach, FL
Composite fillings in Pompano Beach are the standard filling at South Florida Smile Spa: a tooth-colored resin bonded into the tooth after the decay is removed, shaped to the tooth’s anatomy and polished so the repair disappears. They have replaced silver amalgam for almost every situation because they bond to the tooth rather than being wedged into it, which means less healthy tooth is removed, the tooth is reinforced rather than weakened, and nothing shows when you talk or laugh. Dr. Nicole M. Berger places every filling herself, using a rubber dam or isolation for a dry field, layering the resin so it cures without stress, and checking the bite so the filling feels like part of the tooth. This page explains how composite fillings work, how they compare with amalgam and with inlays, onlays and crowns, the visit, how long they last, and when a filling is no longer enough.
Quick answer
A composite filling is a tooth-colored resin, filled with glass and ceramic particles, that is bonded into a cleaned cavity in layers and hardened with a curing light, then shaped and polished to match the tooth. It is used for new cavities, chipped or worn teeth and to replace old silver fillings, and because it bonds to enamel and dentine it requires less drilling than amalgam and strengthens the remaining tooth. At South Florida Smile Spa in Pompano Beach, Dr. Berger places composites in one visit under local anesthetic, usually in thirty to sixty minutes per tooth, and they last seven to ten years or more depending on size, location and habits. Very large cavities, cracked teeth and teeth that have lost a cusp are better served by an onlay or crown, which Dr. Berger recommends when a filling would not hold.
Why Composite
Composite fillings in Pompano Beach: why they replaced silver
Amalgam fillings held by being packed into an undercut; composite holds by bonding to the tooth. That one difference explains most of the advantages.
- Less tooth removed. No undercuts are needed for retention, so only the decay comes out and the healthy tooth around it stays.
- The tooth is reinforced. A bonded filling ties the walls of the cavity together instead of wedging them apart, which lowers the risk of the cracks that split amalgam-filled teeth years later.
- Invisible repair. Resin is matched to the tooth shade and polished to the enamel’s gloss; the filling is not visible when you talk or laugh.
- No mercury, no metal. Composite contains no mercury and does not expand and contract with hot and cold the way metal does, which is one cause of cracked cusps around old amalgams.
- Repairable. A chipped or worn composite can be repaired by adding to it, rather than replacing the whole filling and removing more tooth.
- Sealed margins. Bonding seals the edge of the filling against bacteria and fluid, which is why a well-placed composite rarely gives the sensitivity to cold that new amalgams did.
The American Dental Association’s page on composite fillings describes the material and where it is used, and its filling options page compares it with the alternatives.
Composite vs. amalgam vs. inlays, onlays and crowns
| Composite filling | Amalgam (silver) filling | Ceramic inlay or onlay | Crown | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Tooth-colored resin bonded in place | Silver-mercury alloy packed in place | Porcelain or zirconia made from a scan, bonded in | Porcelain or zirconia covering the whole tooth |
| Appearance | Matches the tooth | Silver, darkens over time | Matches the tooth | Matches the tooth |
| Tooth removed | Only the decay | Decay plus undercuts for retention | Decay, with a defined shape | Significant, all around |
| Best for | Small to medium cavities; chips; replacing old amalgams | Rarely used here | Medium to large cavities where a filling would be too big but a crown too much | Cracked, heavily filled or root-treated teeth; lost cusps |
| Visits | One | One | One with same-day CAD/CAM, or two | One with same-day CAD/CAM, or two |
| Lifespan | 7 to 10 years or more | 10 to 15 years | 10 to 20 years | 10 to 20 years |
| Strength in a large cavity | Adequate when small; wears and flexes when large | Strong but can crack the tooth | Very strong; protects the cusps | Strongest |
| Provided at SFSS | Yes, the standard filling | Not placed; replaced on request or when failing | Yes | Yes |
The Process
A composite filling visit at South Florida Smile Spa
- Diagnosis. Decay is found at the exam or on X-rays, sometimes with a cavity-detecting light, and the size and depth decide whether a filling, an onlay or a crown is right. Dr. Berger shows you the X-ray or photo.
- Anesthetic. The tooth is numbed with a topical gel followed by local anesthetic; patients who dread the needle can have nitrous oxide. Very small fillings on the enamel surface sometimes need no anesthetic at all.
- Isolation. A rubber dam or isolation device keeps the tooth dry, because composite bonds only to a clean, dry surface; this is the step that most affects how long the filling lasts.
- Removing the decay. Soft, decayed tooth is removed with a drill or a laser, leaving a clean cavity, and the walls are checked for cracks before filling.
- Bonding and layering. The cavity is etched, primed and bonded, and resin is placed in layers of about two millimeters, each cured with a blue light so the filling hardens without shrinking away from the walls.
- Shaping, bite and polish. The filling is carved to the tooth’s grooves, the bite is checked with marking paper so nothing hits high, and the surface is polished. Thirty to sixty minutes per tooth, and you can eat once the numbness wears off.
Replacing old silver fillings
Amalgam fillings do not need to be replaced simply because they are silver; a sound amalgam can serve for decades. They are replaced when they have cracked, when decay has crept under the edge, when the tooth around them has split, or when a patient wants them gone for cosmetic reasons. Dr. Berger examines each one on X-rays and with magnification and tells you which are sound and which are failing. When an old amalgam comes out, the cavity underneath is often larger than it looked, and the honest answer may be an onlay rather than a bigger composite. Amalgams are removed under isolation with high-volume suction so that the metal is contained.
When a filling is not enough
Composite is a filling material, and like any filling it has limits. When a cavity is wider than about a third of the distance between the cusps, when a cusp has broken off, when the tooth has a crack running into it, or when it has had a root canal, a filling flexes under chewing and either wears, leaks or lets the tooth fracture. In those cases Dr. Berger recommends a bonded ceramic inlay or onlay, made from an iTero scan and often fitted the same day, or a crown. The recommendation comes with the reason, and a filling is placed when a filling will hold.
Sensitivity after a filling
Mild sensitivity to cold or to biting for a few days after a deep filling is normal and settles as the tooth calms. Sensitivity to biting that does not improve usually means the filling is slightly high and takes thirty seconds to adjust, so call rather than wait. Lingering sensitivity after a very deep filling, close to the nerve, is explained before the visit; most settle over weeks, and the few that do not need a root canal. A filling placed under isolation with layered curing gives the least sensitivity, which is why the technique matters more than the brand of resin.
Fillings for children
Composite is used for children’s fillings as well, in both baby and adult teeth, placed with the same isolation and care. Baby teeth with cavities are filled rather than left, because untreated decay hurts, spreads to the neighboring teeth and can damage the adult tooth forming beneath. Our children’s dentistry page explains how visits are paced for younger patients, and sealants are offered on the adult molars as they come in to prevent the next cavity.
Making fillings last
A composite filling lasts seven to ten years on average and often much longer, and what shortens it is the same thing that caused the cavity: plaque at the margins, frequent sugar and acid, and dry mouth. Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing where the filling meets the neighbor, limiting snacking and sweet drinks, a nightguard for grinders, and six-monthly exams with bitewing X-rays, where the margins are checked, give a filling its longest life. A small chip or worn edge on a composite can be repaired by adding to it.
Cost and insurance
Composite fillings are priced by the number of surfaces of the tooth involved and quoted in writing after the exam. Most dental plans cover fillings as a basic service, typically at seventy to eighty percent after the deductible; a few older plans still reimburse back-tooth composites at the amalgam rate, and our team tells you before the visit if yours does. Inlays, onlays and crowns are covered as major services. Financing is available for larger treatment plans.
Care in Pompano Beach
Why patients choose South Florida Smile Spa for fillings
- Placed by the dentist, under isolation. Dr. Berger places every filling herself with a dry field and layered curing, which is what makes a composite last.
- The right restoration, not the biggest filling. A filling when a filling will hold, an onlay or crown when it will not, with the reason shown on the X-ray.
- Comfort first. Topical gel before the anesthetic, nitrous oxide for anxious patients, and the bite checked before you leave.
- A cosmetic dentist’s finish. Shade-matched, carved to the tooth’s anatomy and polished so the filling is invisible.
- Old silver assessed honestly. Sound amalgams are left; failing ones are replaced with the restoration the tooth actually needs.
Patients come to us for fillings from Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Coconut Creek, often to replace silver fillings placed years ago.
A cavity, a chipped tooth or an old silver filling
Book an exam with Dr. Berger. The X-ray explained, a clear recommendation between a filling, an onlay or a crown, and most fillings done the same day.
South Florida Smile Spa · Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS · 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach, FL 33060 · (954) 785-1100
Frequently Asked Questions
Does getting a composite filling hurt?
No. The tooth is numbed with a topical gel and then local anesthetic, and nitrous oxide is available for anxious patients. Some mild sensitivity to cold for a few days afterward is normal with deeper fillings.
How long do composite fillings last?
Seven to ten years on average, often longer for small fillings on front teeth and shorter for large fillings on molars in heavy grinders. Good hygiene, a nightguard if you grind, and regular exams extend them, and a chipped composite can be repaired rather than replaced.
Are composite fillings as strong as silver?
For small and medium cavities, yes, and the bonded composite reinforces the tooth where amalgam wedges it apart. For very large cavities neither material is ideal, and an onlay or crown is the stronger choice.
Should I replace my silver fillings?
Only if they are failing: cracked, leaking, with decay underneath, or the tooth around them has split. A sound amalgam can be left. Dr. Berger checks each one on X-rays and with magnification and tells you which, if any, need replacing.
How long does a filling take?
Thirty to sixty minutes per tooth, in one visit. Several fillings in the same area are often done together.
Can I eat after a composite filling?
Yes, as soon as the numbness wears off, usually one to two hours. Composite is fully hardened by the curing light before you leave, so there is no waiting period as there was with amalgam.
Why does my filling feel high?
The bite is checked before you leave, but a filling can feel slightly high once the numbness wears off. It is adjusted in a few seconds at a short visit; do not wait, because a high filling can make the tooth sore.
Will the filling match my tooth?
Yes. Composite comes in a range of shades and translucencies, and Dr. Berger matches it to the tooth, carves it to the natural grooves and polishes it to the same gloss as the enamel, so it is not visible.
Do you see patients from outside Pompano Beach?
Yes. Patients come for fillings from Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Coconut Creek and across Broward County, and most are done in one visit. The office is at 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach. Call (954) 785-1100 or request an appointment.