A cavity can cause your tooth to feel extra sensitive and may cause discomfort while chewing. Early detection and treatment using a filling, returns your tooth to comfort, function and beauty, while assisting you in preventing an infection and the need for more complex treatment, such as root canal therapy.
What Are Dental Fillings?
A dental filling is a restorative procedure that brings your tooth back to good health and full structure after a cavity forms. Once the interior of the cavity is clean and smooth, your dentist will fill the hole with sturdy, artificial material, referred to as a “filling.” Fillings can be an amalgam, also known as “metal fillings” as well as tooth-colored fillings, also commonly known as “white fillings” or “composite fillings”.
What Are the Benefits of Fillings?
A tooth filling stops tooth decay in its tracks. The advantage of fillings is that the bacteria that have invaded your tooth is cleaned away, putting a stop to the tooth decay. Other advantages of a filling include:
- Treating the cavity will end the sensitivity associated with your cavity
- A filling protects your tooth from breakage, in the case of a large cavity
- Tooth-colored, metal-free fillings, composed of synthetic resin, are safe for pregnant women and people sensitive to metal
- Tooth-colored fillings blend in with the rest of your smile, so no one can tell you have a filling
- Tooth-colored fillings do not become cold or heat up, so you will not experience temperature-based sensitivity
- Your tooth-colored filling bonds to your tooth, for long-term wear
Do You Make a Good Candidate for Filings ?
The best way to avoid additional oral conditions and reduce discomfort from a cavity is having a filling. Whether you have a small cavity or a more advanced cavity, you will likely make an excellent candidate for a tooth-colored filling. Treating cavities allows you to extend the health and life of your natural teeth, for a beautiful, healthy smile.
