Healthy teeth and gums make for a vibrant, healthy smile. You can maintain good oral health by daily attention: brushing your pearly whites at least twice a day, for two minutes, flossing at least once a day, and keeping up with regular dental exams and cleanings. Still, even with the best of care cavities can sneak up on your smile, because of bacterial plaque which can damage the teeth. This is where dental restorations come to the rescue. Dental fillings can save tooth so that it can function normally for years to come. And just like a natural tooth, time can wear down a filling so that even a restoration may need to be repeated.
Saving a Tooth
What happens when you have a cavity? Most cavities, if they are not too large and there is enough natural tooth material to support a filling can be restored with a dental restoration. Your dentist will remove all decay material, clean the cavity area and fill the cavity. Dr. Todd Eder, our skilled dentist, uses composite resin fillings, or tooth-colored/white fillings to repair your teeth. Once your tooth is filled it will function better than ever!
When a Filling Needs Restoring
–Pressure on the filling, whether from chewing grinding and clenching of your teeth (also known as bruxism) can cause a filling to chip, crack, and wear down.
–An aged filling may fall out due to its size or chewing trauma, or if the cavity wasn’t thoroughly cleaned out and prepared properly before filling.
–The seal between the tooth enamel and the dental filling can weaken, allowing space for bacterial debris to seep under the filling and decay the tooth. If the decay goes on long enough, it can cause infection of the tooth pulp which can cause an abscessed tooth.
–A large filling may not be able to be restored again, depending on the size of the decayed area and whether enough of the tooth remains to support a new filling. This may require crown placement instead.
If you have a tooth that needs to be restored, Dr. Todd Eder and our skilled dental team is here to help! To schedule a visit, please call our Brownsburg Family Dental Care team in Brownsburg, Indiana at 317-852-4593 today.