Filling
Small or moderate damage
- How much tooth is removed
- Only the damaged part
- Where it is made
- In the mouth, same visit
- Material
- Composite resin
- Visits
- One
Cosmetic dentistry · El Poblado, Medellín
Tooth-colored fillings
that match your enamel
Composite resin repairs decay and small fractures with a material the color of your own tooth. It is shaped and polished until the repair blends into the rest of the enamel.
In-person consultation in El Poblado
Most cases are solved in a single visit
Torre Médica Oviedo · El Poblado, Medellín
How the procedure works
Diagnosis, shade selection and polishing, all in one visit in El Poblado
-
First we measure how deep the decay goes
An X-ray shows how far the damage actually reaches: that decides whether a filling is enough or another option is needed.
-
The shade is matched against your own tooth
We take the shade from the neighboring tooth and layer the composite to reproduce its translucency, not a flat white.
-
Dark metal fillings can be replaced
Old amalgams and stained composites can be swapped for tooth-colored material.
-
In El Poblado, Torre Médica Oviedo
We work inside a medical building with imaging equipment and sterilization on site.
Tooth-colored fillings in Medellín
A composite filling is indicated when a tooth has to be repaired without sacrificing the healthy part, and when it matters that the repair does not show. What it aims for: to restore the shape of the tooth, make chewing on that side comfortable again and have the repair blend with the enamel. The final indication depends on the X-ray. It is usually considered in cases like these:
- You have just been told you have small or moderate decay.
- You chipped the edge or a corner of a front tooth.
- You have dark metal fillings that show when you talk or smile.
- An old composite has stained or shows a dark margin.
- You want to close a small gap between two teeth without braces.
Where a filling stops being enough
When a filling is enough and when another option is better
Composite bonds to the tooth and replaces only the damaged part, so it preserves as much natural structure as possible. That is why it is the first option when the damage is small or moderate.
When decay has left little healthy tooth, or the tooth has had a root canal, composite will not take the bite force and the indication becomes an inlay or a crown. That is decided with the X-ray in front of us.
- Small and moderate decay, in front teeth or molars.
- A chipped edge or corner of a tooth.
- Replacing dark amalgams or old stained composites.
- Closing small gaps and reshaping front teeth.
Composite has a limit: the more tooth is missing, the less sense it makes. At the consultation we tell you, with the X-ray in front of us, whether your case is within that limit or another option suits you better.
Book a consultation
How we work on cosmetic dentistry at Clínica Be Dharma.
How a composite filling is done, step by step
1. Diagnosis and X-ray
We check how far the decay reaches. A lesion that looks small on the surface can be wide underneath, and that changes the indication.
2. Shade selection
The shade is taken with the tooth hydrated and in natural light, comparing against the neighboring teeth. This step is what makes the filling go unnoticed.
3. Anesthesia and removal of damaged tissue
The area is numbed and only the affected tissue is removed, keeping as much healthy tooth as possible.
4. Bonding and composite layering
The tooth is conditioned, the adhesive is applied and the composite is placed in layers cured with light, reproducing the shape and translucency of the tooth.
5. Bite adjustment and polishing
We check that the tooth meets the opposing one correctly and polish it to an enamel shine. An unpolished filling stains sooner.
When a tooth has to be repaired, the difference between a filling, an inlay and a crown comes down to how much healthy tooth is left and how much bite force that area has to take.
Filling, inlay or crown: how they differ
Inlay
Extensive damage, walls still sound
- How much tooth is removed
- Just enough to seat the piece
- Where it is made
- In the laboratory, from an impression
- Material
- Ceramic or lab-processed composite
- Visits
- Two, with a temporary
Crown
Little tooth left, or a root canal was done
- How much tooth is removed
- The whole outline of the tooth
- Where it is made
- In the laboratory, from an impression
- Material
- Zirconia, porcelain or porcelain-fused-to-metal
- Visits
- Two, with a temporary
How much a composite filling costs
A filling has no single price: it depends on how many surfaces of the tooth have to be rebuilt and on whether it is a front tooth or a molar. The figure is confirmed at the consultation, with the X-ray in front of us.
How many tooth surfaces
The surfaces that have to be rebuilt.
Which tooth it is
A cosmetic filling on a front tooth needs more layering and more polishing.
Whether something has to come out first
An old amalgam or a previous composite.
How many teeth
Those treated in the same visit.
Whether the tooth needs other treatment first
A root canal, for example.
At the consultation we tell you which teeth should be treated first and which ones can wait.
Specialists in cosmetic dentistry
Dr. Jorge Mejía Correa
General dentist · Lic. 5-4513-08
View profile
Dra. Marcela Jiménez
Periodontist
View profile
Dr. David Delgado
Medical director
View profile
1
/
3
Questions
Frequently asked questions about composite fillings
How long does a composite filling last?
It depends on where it is, how much force it takes when you bite and on your hygiene. A filling on a front tooth usually lasts longer than one on a molar carrying the whole chewing load. It is not a permanent material: over the years it can stain at the margins or wear down, and then it is replaced.
Does it hurt?
The procedure is done under local anesthesia. Afterwards you may feel cold sensitivity for a few days, especially if the decay was deep.
Will it look different from my natural tooth?
The aim is that it does not. The result depends on the shade chosen, the composite layering and the final polish. On very translucent or heavily stained teeth, matching the color takes more work and is worth discussing beforehand.
What are the risks, and when is it not advisable?
If little healthy tooth is left, a large filling can fracture under bite force: in those cases an inlay or a crown is indicated. There may be temporary cold sensitivity. Composites stain with coffee, red wine and tobacco. And if the decay has reached the nerve, the nerve has to be treated first: filling over it only delays the problem.
Can I replace my metal fillings with composite?
Yes, and it is a common reason for consultation. Each tooth is assessed on its own: if the amalgam is sound and the tooth healthy, the change is cosmetic; if there is leakage or decay underneath, it is also clinical.
How long does the appointment take?
A simple filling takes under an hour. Several teeth or a cosmetic rebuild of front teeth take longer and are sometimes split into two visits.
What aftercare is needed?
You can eat the same day, carefully for the first few hours. After that: brushing, floss and regular check-ups. Cutting back on coffee, red wine and tobacco keeps the color longer.
Contact
Book a consultation and leave with a clear plan
We tell you which teeth are worth repairing, in what order, and how far composite can take you.
Torre Médica Oviedo · Calle 6 Sur #43A-227, floor 7, suite 776 · El Poblado, Medellín. Monday to Friday 8:00–17:00 and Saturday 8:00–12:00.