The Importance of Dental Fillings In Preventing Tooth Decay

Fast foods have been one of the main causes of all sorts of lifestyle diseases, such as hypertension and obesity. Besides their obvious artery-clogging nature, fast foods are high in simple carbohydrates and sugar, which are not your teeth’s best friends.

That explains why scores of people across the globe have tooth decay. Anyone with dental caries can tell you they loathed the experience. There’s nothing to look forward to besides unwanted stress and potential tooth loss. That’s why you cannot skip visiting our dentist in Sugar Land for prompt cavity treatment before the issue escalates.

Fillings will help keep your natural teeth and save them from destruction. In other words, cavities will help you avoid the headache of seeking teeth replacement options.

About Dental Fillings

Eating food, especially simple carbohydrates, gets stuck in your teeth’s fissures (deep grooves) or between the teeth. Harmful bacteria are present in the mouth and never waste a second. They will swarm all over your teeth to feed on the food debris. The digestive acids produced will digest the food debris and erode your teeth.

In no time, your teeth will begin to have holes, which we call cavities. These cavities represent damaged parts of the teeth; therefore, these parts of the tooth cannot function as they should. The only option now is to get dental fillings in Sugar Land, TX.

Dental fillings are the preferred choice for tooth cavities because they can replace the chunk of decayed material that our dentist removes. The dental treatment is aptly named because various materials are used to fill the space left when our dentist removes the decayed tooth tissue.

Fillings can be crafted using various materials ranging from composite resin to gold.

Do You Need Fillings?

The filling procedure is quite common since dental cavities plague many people. Dental caries are the main reason people undergo the cavity procedure. Moreover, fillings are the best option when cavities are not too large.

Besides cavities, our dentist will offer tooth fillings if you need to:

• Repair chipped or cracked teeth
• Repair worn-down teeth
• Repair broken teeth

What Options Do You Have?

Thanks to the evolution in dental technology, you are spoiled for choice since fillings are made from various materials. The only challenge you will face is deciding which filling suits your needs. Therefore, our dentist will factor in the following during your next dental appointment:

• Cost
• The extent of the damage
• Location of the tooth that needs restoration
• History of allergic reaction to metals

After you have worked through the above issues, you can look at the following filling materials:

Amalgam 

Fillings made from amalgam have been around for many years. Amalgam combines various materials such as silver, tin, and mercury. They are known for their sturdiness and stain resistance. But they are not appealing to the eyes since they have a greyish-metallic hue.

Gold

Another sturdy filling is the gold filling. They are stain-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about tooth staining. However, they are not aesthetically pleasing and are the best option for your back teeth. But some patients find them aesthetically pleasing, so that it will come down to your preference.

Composite Resin

Resin or plastic is another common filling material. They have better aesthetics than silver and gold fillings since they are tooth-colored. They are also the best option when you need to save a buck. The only issue is that they are not as sturdy as the other tooth fillings.

Porcelain

By far, this is the best filling material for aesthetics. They are glossy and tooth-colored, which makes porcelain fillings the perfect fit for front tooth restorations. Porcelain fillings help maintain your dental aesthetics since they are stain-resistant. More so, they are sturdier than composite resin fillings.

How Fillings Help In Preventing Tooth Decay

It is always a good idea to get dental fillings to help protect your teeth from further damage caused by cavities. It is possible to do this because our dentist near you will remove the decayed area and fill it using the appropriate tooth filling. The filling seals the cavity, stopping the decay from spreading.

Some of the materials our dentist uses to create dental fillings can help improve the structure of your tooth. Instead of your tooth remaining hollow, the tooth filling provides the support needed.

Other fillings contain fluoride, a vital component in strengthening teeth and preventing teeth from decaying.

That’s why you need tooth fillings whenever you have a cavity. Contact us at Fountains Family Dental to schedule an appointment.