Cavities often result from enamel damage caused by bacterial acid. When the bacteria in your oral cavity feed on carbohydrates from food particles in your mouth, they release byproducts of their digestive process. One of these byproducts is bacterial acid.
As the acid dissolves essential minerals within the tooth enamel, cavities form. The cavities, which are also called dental caries, are essentially holes in the tooth enamel. Various types of fillings may be used, depending on the size and severity of a cavity. Here are a few examples:
Bonding Material
Sometimes, a cavity is relatively minor. It may only be superficial, affecting the outermost layer of tooth enamel. When there is little decay and only a small amount of tooth enamel missing, dental bonding material may be used.
Dental bonding material is applied to the cavity and mechanically molded into place. A light may be used to harden the material.
The application may wear away over time, but reapplication is generally simple and quick.
Gold Fillings
Gold fillings can be used for relatively large cavities, but they are sometimes not selected because of their expense and color. Still, these types of fillings are long-lasting and can withstand a large amount of bite force. In addition, it is not necessary to remove a large amount of healthy tooth material to place a gold filling.
Glass Ionomer Fillings
Glass ionomer fillings are made from a mixture of glass and acrylic. These fillings are often applied to compromised tooth surfaces that are not above the gum line. In addition, they are sometimes used for kids.
One of the major benefits of this type of filling is its slow release of fluoride. The mineral, which is commonly found in toothpastes, can help make the teeth more resistant to damage from bacterial acid. Fluoride attracts displaced minerals back to the tooth enamel. As a result, glass ionomer fillings can discourage tooth decay.
Although the material does wear away a bit more easily than resin and metal fillings, these fillings are tooth-colored and difficult to discern on the teeth.
Silver Amalgam Fillings
Silver amalgam fillings can be used to fill large cavities and are quite durable. They are commonly used because of their ability to withstand large amounts of bite pressure.
Silver fillings are less expensive than gold and resin composite fillings.
For more information about fillings and how they may be used in your dental restoration, contact a company like Plymouth Valley Dental Group.
Share17 February 2017
The average dentist takes many client appointments each day and also deals with emergency situations on a regular basis. Dental emergencies are very common because people are likely to put off having tooth pain fixed until the pain becomes unbearable. Some people have anxiety about dental visits, and others are trying to avoid the expense of dental care. In either case, the end result is often a dental emergency. I have worked as a professional dental hygienist for many years and have seen all types of dental emergencies. I hope that this blog will help people identify potential emergencies before they become too serious and will allow people to know when to get help.
