Using dental fillings to address areas of tooth decay

Keeping your smile healthy and functional is critical to ensure your teeth remain forever. However, sometimes things happen, and you may experience issues with your dental health throughout your life. This includes the possibility of cavities. Cavities, or tooth decay, require treatment as soon as possible to avoid potential problems later on. Drs. Robert Evelyn and Wayne Harper of Ocala Smiles in Ocala, Florida, often recommend dental fillings for many patients with mild to moderate decay.

What is the best tooth cavity treatment?

If you have been diagnosed with an area of tooth decay and are visiting the team at Ocala Smiles for treatment, we may recommend solutions for your smile that will help restore the tooth and avoid permanent extraction. We often recommend composite or tooth-colored fillings, which are aesthetic, safe, and long-lasting.

What about silver amalgam fillings?

In the past, and still today, many dentists have used a dental filling type known as silver amalgam. While this can fill an area of decay, it has many pitfalls that make it problematic. It can expand and contract with any temperature changes, allowing bacteria to enter the tooth and increasing the risk of infection. This material is also formulated with approximately 50% mercury, which can cause mercury toxicity in patients. Additionally, it is dark and highly noticeable in the smile. Drs. Evelyn and Harper avoid using this material and instead recommend composite resin fillings for their many benefits.

Do I need a filling?

If you suspect you have a cavity in your smile or have been told you have an area of decay that needs treatment, we invite you to Ocala Smiles to discuss the benefits of specific dental filling types such as composite resin. Call 352-867-7181 to request a visit at our office, conveniently located in Ocala at 1800 SE 17th Street, Suite #602. We are open to patients who are already visiting our office or new patients and families in the surrounding communities of Belleview, Salt Springs, Crystal River, Lady Lake, Weirsdale, and Citrus Springs, FL.

Dr. Robert J. Evelyn

Dr. Robert J. Evelyn graduated from the University of Florida College of Dentistry, where he received accolades for outstanding patient care, willingness to help others, and eagerness to learn. He completed a General Practice Residency at NYU Lutheran Medical Hospital Center in Brooklyn, NY, and received extensive training in restorative dentistry, implants, oral surgery, and endodontics. Dr. Evelyn has fellowships from the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and American Academy of Implant Prosthodontics. He is a member of many professional organizations, including the American Dental Association, Florida Dental Association, and AGD.

Dr. Wayne Harper

Dr. Wayne Harper has been practicing general and cosmetic dentistry in Ocala since 1985. He received his undergraduate degree from Stony Brook SUNY and his dental degree from Emory University, Atlanta. He practiced in Ormond Beach until opening his Ocala office. He has attended numerous continuing education curricula, including the Pankey Institute and Dr. Peter Dawson continuum, and holds a Fellowship from the Las Vegas Institute for Global Studies. Dr. Harper is a member of organizations such as the American Dental Association, Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation, and International Association for Physiologic Aesthetics.