Tooth Decay
dentist in downtown Portland
 Dental fillings are a common treatment for cavities. Cavities result from tooth decay, which occurs as a result of acid erosion. Dental fillings help to stop the progression of your cavity, preventing further harm and restoring your oral health. Traditionally, fillings have been done using amalgam, a material made up of a mixture of metals suspended in mercury. Today, we can fill many cavities using composite resin.Geelan Dental Care would love to talk with you about the amazing way a filling can save your tooth from being lost due to decay.
What Is A Dental Filling?
Dental fillings are made of composite material. In the past, dental fillings used to be made of silver or gold. In fact, people used dental fillings to decorate their teeth. Some dental fillings were made of silver amalgam, which contained mercury. People were uncomfortable with mercury in their fillings, because mercury is a poison. These days, mercury is not used in fillings.
We use dental fillings to fix your teeth. Fillings are specifically used to fix tooth decay. When you don’t brush or floss the way you should, you may end up with tooth decay. Tooth decay is when the bacteria that are in your mouth bore a hole in your tooth enamel. Bacteria are always present in your mouth. However, if you brush and floss regularly, you brush a lot of the bacteria away. If you aren’t brushing and flossing regularly, the bacteria will make a hole in your tooth. Over time, that hole will continue to expand.
At some point, if you don’t get it fixed, the cavity will continue into your tooth pulp. That is when you may start to feel the pain. If the cavity continues to grow, you will eventually lose the tooth.
How Dental Fillings Help
The great benefit of dental fillings is that they can fix a tooth that has been weakened due to a cavity. When you get a cavity, we can drill the cavity out, and replace the cavity with a filling. Of course, we will numb your tooth and your gums as well. That way, we can work on your cavity without causing you pain. Once we get the cavity drilled out, we can fill the hole with composite material, which fixes the cavity and also strengthens the tooth. We not only get rid of the cavity but help keep your tooth stronger.
If you are having problems with a tooth, or you need help with fillings, give Geelan Dental Care a call at (971) 323-1990. We would love to talk to you about fillings, how we do a filling, and how we can make sure you aren’t in any pain because of your filling. Give us a call today, and let us help you keep your teeth as healthy as possible. We love to make sure you have a healthy smile for life. |
