White Tooth Fillings
A good number of patients looking for a dentist in Pembroke Pines are doing so when looking for dental fillings. There are many different types of fillings, including porcelain, silver amalgam (which consists of mercury mixed with silver, tin, zinc, and copper), or tooth-colored, plastic, and glass materials called composite resin fillings and even gold. At Pembroke Pines dental, we tend to favor the cosmetic look allowing for a natural-looking fix to what otherwise is considered a blemish.
What are dental fillings?
A filling is basically used to treat a cavity. Your family dentist will carefully remove any portion of a tooth that has been decayed. Any decayed area removed will then be filled with a filling material. Besides filling decayed areas, a dentist may use a filling to repair broken or cracked teeth.
Over the years, dental filling materials have changed little. Teeth can be filled using porcelain, gold, copper, tin, silver amalgam, or resin composition of plastic and glass. There are a variety of considerations that will determine which filling a dentist will use.
For example, what type of insurance coverage does the patient have, what is the price of the filling material, what is the extent of the decay, what is the location of the filling required, or the recommendation from a dentist about which filling is the best for your dental issue? Each of the above materials, however, has a variety of pros and cons.
To protect your teeth, it is essential to avoid some of the more common bad dental habits. Bad dental habits include biting your nails, chewing on ice, drinking fruit juice and white wine, not using a mouthguard when playing sports, and eating sugary foods.
Are Dental Fillings Necessary?
Dental work can be costly, which is why dental patients often want to avoid treatments that they don’t really need. If your dentist is recommending fillings, you may be wondering if they are absolutely necessary. If you have a cavity, or if you’re experiencing severe dental pain, you’ll want to get fillings sooner rather than later.
When left untreated, tooth decay will worsen with time. When you have a cavity, harmful bacteria can enter your teeth, which could lead to an infection. Furthermore, it can cause the enamel on your teeth to break down. Fillings can help to restore decaying teeth and keep your smile safe.
Fillings aren’t always necessary. If you don’t currently have a cavity, and you’re not experiencing dental pain, your dentist may recommend that you focus on proper oral hygiene. It’s possible to reverse tooth decay if you change your diet and brush and floss your teeth regularly.
With that said, if your dentist has advised that you get fillings, you should listen to their recommendation. Fillings can last for 15 years or more and can even match the appearance of your natural teeth. Some fillings can also release fluoride, which can improve your overall dental health.
