Regular brushing, flossing, and professional dental cleanings reduce your risk of developing cavities. But the occasional cavity may appear due to lapses in proper dental hygiene or changes in your environment or diet. When our Cheney General Dental Care Office diagnose you with a cavity, they will remove the infected dental material and then sterilize the existing healthy tooth. The empty space is then filled to keep the tooth sound structurally and to help stop future infection.
Filling materials have traditionally been made of silver or amalgam. Amalgam fillings certainly did the job of keeping the tooth structurally sound, but the major problem is that they were largely aesthetically unappealing. You may still have these metallic fillings, so you understand that they can make teeth look dark and dull.
Another significant issue with amalgam fillings is the fact that they contain mercury. These fillings can become unstable over time, causing healthy dental enamel to chip or crack as the filling disintegrates. More and more patients today prefer to avoid this type of filling for health and aesthetic reasons. Understandably, the demand to move away from amalgam fillings prompted dentists to research and develop new alternatives for filling teeth.
Today Spokane Family Dental Care treats cavities with white, natural-looking fillings. In modern dentistry these fillings are made of a composite resin, custom matched and colored to complement the patient’s natural teeth. Composite fillings look natural and many patients report that they can hardly tell the difference between the filling and their natural teeth.
Even more importantly, composite resin is also mercury-free and very durable. Composite resin fillings are considered to be a less aggressive approach to tooth restoration since cavities can be filled without removing the same amount of natural tooth structure as was necessary with silver and amalgam fillings.
Cavities can deteriorate and cause greater damage and disease in other teeth and gum tissue if left untreated. Prompt detection of cavities and subsequent treatment can maintain your smile and oral health for many years
Filling materials have traditionally been made of silver or amalgam. Amalgam fillings certainly did the job of keeping the tooth structurally sound, but the major problem is that they were largely aesthetically unappealing. You may still have these metallic fillings, so you understand that they can make teeth look dark and dull.
Another significant issue with amalgam fillings is the fact that they contain mercury. These fillings can become unstable over time, causing healthy dental enamel to chip or crack as the filling disintegrates. More and more patients today prefer to avoid this type of filling for health and aesthetic reasons. Understandably, the demand to move away from amalgam fillings prompted dentists to research and develop new alternatives for filling teeth.
Today Spokane Family Dental Care treats cavities with white, natural-looking fillings. In modern dentistry these fillings are made of a composite resin, custom matched and colored to complement the patient’s natural teeth. Composite fillings look natural and many patients report that they can hardly tell the difference between the filling and their natural teeth.
Even more importantly, composite resin is also mercury-free and very durable. Composite resin fillings are considered to be a less aggressive approach to tooth restoration since cavities can be filled without removing the same amount of natural tooth structure as was necessary with silver and amalgam fillings.
Cavities can deteriorate and cause greater damage and disease in other teeth and gum tissue if left untreated. Prompt detection of cavities and subsequent treatment can maintain your smile and oral health for many years