How Dental Fillings Are Used to Fix Tooth Cavities
One of the most common dental procedures is going for a dental filling. This is a procedure to fix the damage caused by tooth decay. Moreover, dental fillings will prevent tooth decay by filling the remaining cavity, preventing the further spread of the bacteria.
If you have a tooth cavity, the cavity will not heal on its own, and visiting the dentist near you is your best shot of preventing further decay, which can lead to tooth loss.
Keep reading to learn how dental fillings are used to fix tooth cavities, the procedure, and its benefits.
Dental Fillings Procedure
The steps on getting dental fillings vary depending on the location where the dentist wants to fill the cavity and the materials used. The first step is the dentist will apply a numbing gel to the gums. After the gel has taken effect, they inject local anesthesia into the gum.
A specialized tool or a drill is used to remove the decayed area of the tooth. The dentist then fills the hole in the tooth. The last step is polishing the filling, and the dentist will adjust the filling so that you can feel normal when you bite.
When you visit your dentist in Sault Ste. Marie, ON, to install dental fillings in Sault STE, Marie, ON, the dentist may decide to use two types of dental fillings. They include direct and indirect fillings.
For direct fillings, the dentist will add the filling material into the remaining space in your tooth. There are two common dental materials used for direct fillings. These are composite resin and silver amalgam fillings.
Silver amalgam fillings take longer to fix as they require the removal of excess tooth material. This is why composite resin is becoming more common in dental fillings.
On the other hand, if the dentist is using indirect filling, the next step is taking dental impressions of your mouth. This is because indirect fillings need to look like your teeth, and the impressions will be made in the dental lab then given to the dentist to fix your affected tooth.
The dental fillings used for indirect fillings are inlays and on lays. Inlays are used when the tooth’s whole surface is decayed, whereas the on lays are used if the entire tooth plus a cusp is decayed. After the inlays or on lays are fabricated, they will be fixed to the affected tooth. You should note that you will need a second dental visit to place an indirect filling.
Benefits of Dental Fillings
There are various benefits of dental fillings. First, when you go for a dental filling, the dentist will remove the decayed part in your tooth. After this, the filling material is poured into the hole where the cavity was. This process protects the nerves in your dentine from hot and cold foods and beverages. Most times, the exposure of the nerve endings causes toothaches when you have a tooth cavity. Thanks to fillings, they will stop the cavity from growing.
Another benefit of dental fillings is that they can repair a fractured tooth. For this use, a white composite is applied. This will strengthen the fractured tooth.
Composite dental fillings are applied to discolored and stained teeth. Discolored teeth are a result of consuming beverages like red wine and coffee. In addition, bruxism also leads to losing your teeth’s natural color. Tooth fillings help improve the color of your teeth.
When you don’t practice good oral hygiene, bacteria grow in between your teeth. The bacteria create holes in your teeth. This is because of acidity in your mouth and the food particles that erode your teeth, creating holes in your teeth. Here is where dental fillings come in, as the procedure will protect your teeth from decay by filling in the holes created by tooth decay.
Another great benefit of dental fillings is that they can release fluoride. Fluoride offers protection for your teeth against additional decay and damage. The fluoride is added in dental fillings for patients who have decay beneath the gum line.
Tooth decay can become a big dental problem if not treated. This is why you should visit Great North Dental, and we will treat the tooth cavity, prevent further tooth decay and restore your teeth.