Explaining Dental Fillings and the Reasons Why They Become Essential
Dental fillings are a treatment modality for restoring missing tooth structure either from tooth decay or trauma. Tooth decay hollows the teeth down. Dental fillings help fill these gaps to protect the tooth from further decay. Fillers are also useful to repair broken and cracked teeth that have worn off because of habits like nail-biting, teeth grinding, et cetera.
What Are the Reasons That Cause You to Require a Dental Filling?
There are many signs and symptoms indicating fillings are essential for your teeth. Some of the indicators include the following:
- Dark spots on your teeth.
- A cavity in your tooth.
- Food is trapped between some areas of the teeth.
- Chipped or broken teeth.
- Sensitivity to hot and cold beverages or foods.
If you are affected by any symptoms mentioned above, the chances are high that you need a filling and must contact the family dentist Phoenix to have your teeth evaluated by a thorough dental examination.
The Dental Filling Procedure
If your teeth are affected by the damages listed above, dentist 85043 will initially examine your tooth and may take x-rays to determine the severity of the infection. Depending on how severe the tooth decay is, the dentist gives you local anesthesia to numb the area around the infected tooth.
After your tooth is entirely numb, the dentist prepares it for restoration by drilling the tooth to remove all decay present within. The hollow space is disinfected and cleaned to ensure no bacteria or debris remain behind. If your tooth is damaged for other reasons, dentists use a dental handpiece or laser to remove the damaged area. Finally, the dentist applies the filling material chosen by you before polishing the tooth to give it an aesthetic appearance.
Consequences of Neglecting Dental Fillings
If you are affected by tooth decay is incredibly important for you to get fillings without delay. When you leave tooth decay untreated, the bacteria in your mouth penetrates the enamel to expose the dentin and cause infections. As the disease sets in, you experience sensitivity and will then realize you committed an error by not getting the filling as recommended by the dentist. Leave the tooth decay alone for some more time, and you let the infection reach the nerve of the tooth, requiring the extensive and dreaded root canal treatment. Simultaneously, the condition may potentially affect the neighboring teeth in your mouth, causing additional damages.
What Kinds of Dental Fillings Can You Have?
Various types of dental fillings are currently available. The variety the dentist recommends depends on the severity of the tooth decay and many other factors such as allergic reactions to certain metals. The family dentist in Phoenix may recommend metal fillings, amalgam fillings, composite fillings, porcelain ceramic fillings, and glass ionomer fillings.
The kind of filling you choose for your teeth depends on the severity of the tooth decay or damage. All varieties of fillings described above are excellent to restore your teeth’ functionality, but not every type is suitable for any condition. If you have a cavity on a front tooth, you may not prefer the unaesthetic metal fillings. Simultaneously, tooth-colored composite fillings are not suitable for your molars where biting pressures are high, and the filling material is not as durable as metal fillings. You may have a difficult choice to make when choosing the best filling material for your teeth, depending on your situation.
You must discuss the filling material you want on your teeth with the dentist treating you to ensure you do not make a wrong choice. Dentists will help you out willingly as they are fully knowledgeable about various filling materials and the situations in which they are appropriate.
Sometimes you may confront situations where fillings are not appropriate to preserve your tooth. You may have to undergo a restorative dentistry procedure to have dental crowns on an extensively damaged tooth in such cases. Therefore the better option for you is to have a comprehensive discussion about dental fillings with your dentist before choosing any particular variety for yourself.
Dental fillings last for many years if you make an appropriate choice when having them on your teeth. They can and do come off at some time. However, proper dental hygiene practices like brushing, flossing, and dental visits every six months ensure the fillings last for their lifespan and continue to protect your tooth for as long as possible.