Dental Fillings: The Safe and Reliable Way to Repair Cavities

Tooth cavities are quite prominent in dentistry, affecting children and adults alike. Many patients have succumbed to tooth loss due to advanced dental cavities, usually due to delayed treatment. Therefore, if you would visit us at Rusholme Family Dentistry during the early stages of a tooth cavity, you would be able to prolong the life of the diseased tooth. Solutions like dental fillings have persistently provided patients with a safe and reliable way for repairing dental cavities.

What Are Dental Fillings?

They are dental materials that repair and restore damaged tooth enamels. Dental fillings in Downtown Toronto, feature different materials that can fill the hole in a tooth, sealing it to prevent bacteria from further damaging the tooth. The materials differ based on preference. The common types of dental fillings are:

1. Gold fillings – feature gold as the primary metal, which causes them to be costly. Still, gold fillings make for sturdy dental fillings, suitable for repairing the back teeth.
2. Silver fillings – are commonly known as amalgams. They are very common dental fillings in restorative dentistry. They feature a metal alloy of materials, like zinc, copper, mercury, and silver as the primary material. They are also quite sturdy and ideal for restoring back teeth.
3. Composite fillings – are also called white fillings because they feature a tooth-colored resin material. Composite is a popular material for cosmetic and restorative dental protocols, particularly front teeth. Besides, composite fillings are more affordable than most of their counterparts.
4. Porcelain fillings – feature porcelain, a tooth-colored material that closely mimics natural tooth enamels. Porcelain fillings make for sturdier cavity fillings than composite fillings. They also provide an aesthetic benefit since they are tooth colored.

How Do Dental Fillings Repair Teeth?

Dental fillings can restore various oral problems, including cracked and broken teeth. However, they are popularly known as cavity fillings because they primarily repair dental cavities. Most dentists are swift to recommend dental fillings for your tooth decay treatment. They work to repair tooth cavities through the following steps:

1. Local anesthesia – is a medication for numbing your mouth before dental work. It ensures you have a pain-free experience. Sedation dentistry is only necessary when your dentist in Little Italy determines you have dental anxiety or need prolonged treatments.
2. Drilling – the dentist will use a dental drill to remove the damaged portion of the tooth. The drill will remove as much tooth enamel as it decayed. As (s)he drills, a cavity detector will help check if your tooth is free of decay.
3. Cleaning the tooth – the dentist cleans the tooth to rid it of bacteria that may further damage the tooth.
4. Filling and sealing – the dentist begins applying your preferred dental filling to the tooth. The material will fill the hollow drilled on the tooth while sealing the area to prevent future re-infection.
5. Crowning – although it is not mandatory, some dentists prefer placing a dental crown over the oral cavity. The dental crown reinforces the tooth’s strength, especially when the dental filling is large enough to threaten the tooth’s structural integrity.

Are Dental Fillings the Best Way to Repair Cavities?

Whenever you visit a dentist in Downtown Toronto with an oral problem, you expect that different treatment protocols can treat you. Therefore, one may wonder why dental experts are quick to recommend dental fillings for repairing tooth cavities. Some of the reasons why dental fillings are the best for repairing cavities are:

1. Variety – you can choose different materials for restoring your decayed teeth.
2. Less invasive procedure – compared to other treatments like root canal therapy or tooth extraction, dental fillings are minimally invasive.
3. Preventive dental care – sometimes dentists can recommend dental fillings for preventive care. Children prone to getting tooth cavities can benefit from special dental fillings called dental sealants. They create a barrier on the chewing surfaces of teeth to significantly lower the risk of dental cavities and tooth decay.
4. Can prevent further deterioration of a tooth – a dental filling can halt the decay process before it progresses to cause other oral problems, like severe toothaches and abscessed teeth.
5. Ideal for small area treatment – cavities do not necessarily have to be big and deep holes in teeth. Many times they damage small portions of teeth, especially when caught early.