When your teeth are fresh and new, cavities couldn’t be further away. But from that moment on, the residue of life sticks to your teeth. It slowly builds up over time and wears on your once smooth tooth surfaces, creating little grooves where the residue hardens and does its dirty work.
That residue, known as plaque, is caused by bacteria that feed on the sugars from the food you eat. As a by-product, that bacteria secretes acid that further erodes your tooth surfaces. This process leads to dental decay, and if allowed to continue unabated, will eventually form a cavity.
There’s a Hole in the Bucket
A cavity, in most basic terms, is a hole in your tooth. The plaque, which has led to the decay, that in turn has formed the hole, now serves as a conductor for the bacteria that now invade your inner tooth. Your tooth, like a bucket, is essentially a hollow container that surrounds the soft material that keeps your tooth alive. This inner portion, called the pulp, is filled with blood vessels, nerves and living tissue. When bacteria gets through the hole, then your tooth is in real danger.
You may become aware of a growing cavity when the bacterial infection takes hold, but your dentist can still save your tooth by filling the hole. This literally is the root of the term ‘filling’, and at Avenida Dental Centre, we specialize in treating your cavities and saving your teeth.
Composite Material Blends with Your Natural Tooth Colour
In the past, dental fillings, also called amalgam, were made from a mixture of metals, so they finished silver in colour. Over time, dental technology has improved to include materials that don’t stand out so much against your teeth’ whiteness.
Currently, we use a composite material of blended microscopic glass particles and powdered resins to create a shade that matches your natural teeth. Next, your dentist will layer this composite amalgam, hardening it with a special curing light until the cavity is filled. The final step involves shaping and polishing so that the filling completely integrates with your tooth in both shape and colour. For all intents and purposes, no one but your dentist will ever know you had a cavity in the first place.
If You Suffer from Tooth Decay, We Can Help
It would be best if you had your cavities filled before your tooth becomes too compromised to repair. We welcome you and your family to contact us and learn more about how tooth-coloured fillings can save your teeth.