When a cavity forms, treatment is necessary to avoid the onset of infection or even tooth loss. While metal fillings can help, we offer a more lifelike and biocompatible alternative with our white fillings. In today’s blog, your Santa Monica, CA, dentist talks about the materials we use to offer our lifelike dental fillings.
The Reasons to Treat Tooth Decay
Cavities grow in severity with time. What starts as a cavity could end up as an infection that causes severe discomfort and even leads to tooth loss. When you experience a toothache or sensitivity that doesn’t subside with time, then contact our team right away for an examination, so we can see if you need a restoration for a cavity. We want to help keep your smile healthy, whole, and beautiful. These restorations can help smiles of all ages, from kids to adults.
Our Lifelike Materials
One of the more common options is composite resin, a unique blend of glass-like and acrylic particles, that is strong and biocompatible, bonding with the tooth. Our team can use these for treating smiles of all ages, and shade them to blend with the tooth. We can also use the same material in our dental bonding procedures to mask common cosmetic imperfections as well, such as dental damage or permanent teeth stains.
We also have ionomer fillings, which are a blend of finely ground glass particles and acrylic. In addition to offering a lifelike appearance, these also release a small amount of fluoride to help strengthen the enamel and keep teeth strong. We use these for decay nearer the gum line, which ensures less pressure.
Finally, we may use ceramic, the same material we use to create lifelike and durable dental crowns and porcelain veneers. These are more durable than ionomer, and offer a more lifelike appearance than composite resin, reflecting the same translucent qualities as natural tooth enamel.
Placement
How do we place your fillings? Well, we start by numbing the tooth being treated and then remove the decay for the tooth thoroughly. Next, our team will clean the tooth and may etch the outer surface. We then apply the material and cure it as we sculpt and mold the tooth. We then polish the area to ensure a bright and beautiful appearance. Placing a dental filling only takes one visit and helps lower the risk of dental infection.
If you have any questions about the lifelike materials we use to treat cavities and preserve your smile, then contact our team today to learn more.
Schedule Your Cavity Treatment
You can call Santa Monica Dental Arts in California at 310-395-1261 to schedule an appointment to start the process of treating your tooth decay and preventing infection.
