Dental Fillings Safety and Care: Tooth Repair in Action
White composite resins are the tooth-colored dental fillings that Smiles 4 Keeps uses to repair teeth. These synthetic fillings are one of the dental filling materials used as a restorative agent or adhesive to support oral health, and they look and feel just like natural enamel. Their purpose is to restore a weak or damaged tooth structure. Fillings provide support and resistance to future damage in areas with constant contact of food and bacteria, such as the chewing surfaces of the molars, helping treat cavities and restore dental health.
Who Needs a Composite Dental Filling?
Composite dental fillings are one of several treatment options for cavities. Fillings take the place of damaged and decayed teeth. They act as a barrier between bacteria and your nerve root, protecting your mouth from pain and possible infection. Fillings also stop the cavity from growing. Once a cavity is formed, bacteria start getting trapped within, and it is nearly impossible to brush them out at this point. The treatment process for fillings involves removing any decay and preventing future degeneration. If you are replacing old fillings or have other concerns, discuss treatment options with your dentist.
Your dentist may also recommend a filling or other dental restorations to address any of these other tooth-related conditions:
Tooth fracture
Degeneration of tooth structure
Tooth discoloration
Replacement of old fillings
Advantages of White Composite Resin Fillings
White composite fillings have several benefits over amalgam fillings, also called silver fillings. Of course, the tooth-colored fillings provide an aesthetic benefit, meaning that most people won’t be able to recognize that you’ve had a filling at all because it matches the rest of your teeth. In some cases, other materials such as glass ionomer may also be used. However, white composite fillings also have the advantage of requiring less drilling than metal fillings.
Another benefit is that composite resin fillings harden in seconds and serve as a resin composite alternative to traditional fillings. They also bond to the tooth, giving it greater strength and can be repaired if damaged. Overall, filling materials and other dental materials vary in durability and appearance.
How the Dental Filling Procedure Is Applied
One of the most advantageous aspects of composite fillings is that they are bonded to the teeth, which means they do not always require any anesthetizing. Anesthesia is usually only required if tooth decay has progressed beneath the layer of enamel and into the underlying dentin layer. The dentin layer surrounds the nerve of the tooth and is one of the nerve’s last layers of protection.
After numbing the area, the decayed and damaged portion of the tooth is removed, typically by drilling. Your Smiles 4 Keeps Smile Specialist will then place the soft composite resin into the cavity as one of the filling materials a dentist may use. The resin is placed in layers to ensure the cavity is completely filled and no holes remain. Each layer is then hardened with a special light to cure the resin to the tooth.
Once hardened, your dentist will shape the composite resin to match the other teeth and ensure an even bite. regular dental checkups help monitor fillings and catch wear early. The filling will then be polished to prevent premature wear and staining. While extremely rare, if a filling ever does fall out, it is essential to visit your Smiles 4 Keeps Smile Center right away to correct this issue. Fillings may also be easily repaired if any new damage occurs, such as future fractures, decay or trauma.
How to Prevent Dental Fillings
Did you know that some people go their whole lives without ever needing a filling? This may be due to genetic factors, such as teeth strength and shape, but oral hygiene plays a large role as well! AtSmiles 4 Keeps, we don’t believe that fillings have to be a part of everyone’s life. With proper education and prevention techniques, we help adults and children of all ages build strong oral care habits that support oral health, protect human health, and benefit public health.
You can significantly decrease your risk of getting cavities and needing fillings by:
Brushing your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
Flossing daily
Rinsing your mouth after every meal
Eating a well-balanced and nutritious diet
Avoiding sugary foods and beverages
Visiting a Smiles 4 Keeps dentist regularly, preferably twice per year, to help prevent future cavities and support long-term oral health
Crowns and Dental Amalgam Fillings
Our dentists typically use dental crowns to provide extra strength and stability to a weak tooth. Such a tooth becomes weakened due to heavy decay. When a filling is not a good option, a crown is another suitable option.
Also, if the heavily decayed tooth becomes broken or cracked, we may suggest a crown. This treatment option would take the place of getting the tooth removed, and will allow us to preserve as much of the tooth as possible.
Silver or white crowns can be suitable, long-term options for your children or teens, as they are cemented securely to the tooth.