Fillings

Cavities and Damaged Teeth

If a tooth becomes permanently damaged by decay or trauma, a filling will be required to restore the function of the tooth.

Unfortunately, the most common damage is tooth decay, caused by acids produced by bacteria that are always present in the mouth. Given enough time, these acids will dissolve the enamel layer that protects your tooth, causing a cavity. A cavity is permanent damage to a tooth that does not heal by itself and, without treatment, will only become worse. As the acids penetrate further into the tooth, the potential for pain, infection, and loss of the tooth increase.

Cavities are often detected early during a prophylaxis treatment, spotted by our hygienist during the exam or seen on an x-ray by our dentist.

Types of Fillings

A filling is a kind of dental restoration. During the procedure, the decayed portion of a tooth is replaced with a restorative material that restores the function of the tooth. Cracked or broken teeth might also be replaced with filling material which, when cured, becomes as hard as the original tooth.

There are a few types of fillings. Most popular are silver amalgam and composite fillings. Composite fillings, when cured, are colored like normal teeth.

Advantages of composite fillings are that they match the color of the tooth, require less of the original tooth to be removed, and chemically bond to the original tooth. A few disadvantages of composites are they are less durable than amalgam fillings, might take longer to apply, and can cost more. Silver amalgam fillings are durable and usually less expensive than composites. However, they are not as aesthetically pleasing and may require more of the original tooth to be removed.

Our dentist will discuss with you which kind of filling will be best to restore your tooth.

Prevention

Good oral hygiene and regular teeth cleanings at your dentist are two of the best things you can do to reduce the number of cavities and the need for fillings.

Since unhealthy, sugary sodas, juices, candy and other snacks provide oral bacteria with the sugars they convert into the acids that attack your teeth, replacing these drinks and foods with healthy choices is an important choice, especially for those people prone to cavities.

Ask your dentist about a dental sealant treatment as another preventative measure that might help protect your teeth.

Ultraviolet Light Is Used to Cure a Composite Filling

Resources

Cavities (Courtesy ADA Mouth Healthy)
Dental Sealants (Courtesy ADA Mouth Healthy)
Silver Amalgam Fillings (Courtesy ADA Mouth Healthy)
Composite Fillings (Courtesy ADA Mouth Healthy)