Beat, Treat Cavities With Composite Fillings
If you want solid tools, then a metal alloy is your best bet for strength and durability. If you want jewelry that looks nice and is more likely to continue looking that way, then again metal (gold, silver) is a good call.
There are many times when metal is a better option, but metal isn’t always the best choice.
In fact, we think you can do better than metal if you should ever need a dental filling. We offer tooth-colored fillings at Total Dental Care of South Carolina. This is because our dentist does not believe you should have to give up part of your smile just because you have or had a cavity.
Why We Offer Fillings
Nearly 19 out of 20 people you meet will have at least one cavity in their lives.
That’s a lot of cavities. It also raises a question for you to consider. How long will you go without a cavity?
Honestly, we hope you are that rare person, one of roughly 1 in 20, who goes your entire life without a cavity. Routine dental cleanings and examinations along with your daily oral hygiene routine will reduce your risk of cavities.
Nevertheless, our risk of oral health issues increases as we get older.
Based on the odds, it’s good to know why you may need a dental filling at some point in your life.
Fillings serve two primary functions. First, they protect your tooth against further damages from tooth decay. Second, they restore the function of your teeth.
On these counts, there is little difference between the kinds of fillings you can get.
Gold, amalgam, and composite (tooth-colored) fillings all will provide those functions for you.
Gold is the most expensive option. Amalgam is comparable to gold in terms of durability at a lower cost, as long as you don’t mind have a silvery looking filling in your mouth. Amalgam is a blend of mercury with one or more other metals, usually copper, tin, or silver.
Tooth-colored fillings are made with a composite resin. As we’ve already alluded to, these fillings match the color of your teeth. When you get a composite dental filling, it conceals the location of your cavity while providing the needed protection against tooth decay.
We think this is a better option for our patients.
Other Uses For Composite Resin
Another advantage of having composite resin is it can be used for other kinds of repairs as well.
A great example of this is dental bonding.
A chipped tooth may not seem like much, but it can be enough to cause some people to feel self-conscious about their teeth. This can leave them unwilling to smile due to a concern that other people may see their teeth.
Sometimes tooth decay is too much for a standard dental filling. In some cases, a dental crown may be needed instead.
Sometimes the cavity is larger than what you can fix with a standard filling but less than what is needed to require a crown.
With composite resin, we can create either an inlay or an onlay instead. Inlays are used to repair damage to the interior of your tooth. Onlays are used to fix damaged that covers more of the biting or chewing surface.
Replacing Old Fillings
If you have had fillings for years, they will wear down and wear out. When this happens, they are no longer fulfilling their primary functions of protecting your tooth and restoring its function.
This is another time with a composite filling (or inlay or onlay) may be a good option for you.
As fillings become chipped, cracked, or worn down, you will want to replace them. (By the way, we will keep an eye on your fillings if you come to Total Dental Care of South Carolina for routine checkups .)
If you want too long, your fillings may separate from your teeth or fall out completely. That really increases your risk of a new cavity in a place where brushing and flossing won’t have any effect.
After your old filling is removed, we can layer the composite resin where it is needed. After the resin hardens, your filling will be as good as new.
Get Filled In
If you have questions about dental fillings, please contact our dentist office in Columbia, SC. You can reach us online or you can call 803-272-4162.
We will be happy to explain what a tooth-colored filling can do for you and to help you schedule an appointment to get one, when and if it’s ever needed.
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