Restorative

Most commonly patients come to the office for fillings. What are fillings or cavities?

A cavity is a hole left behind after tooth decay destroys part of a tooth. The cavity in the tooth still contains the bacteria that created it. Left untreated, this decay will continue to spread and damage the tooth. During filling procedures, dentists clean away the decay inside the cavity, before filling it in with a variety of materials such as amalgam (silver fillings) or composite (tooth colored fillings). Removing the decay prevents further damage, but it doesn’t fix the damage to the tooth that already occurred. That’s when fillings are needed.

When tooth decay destroys part of a tooth, the resulting cavity is often sensitive. It could expose inner nerves, compromise the tooth’s structure, or become a site of continued infection.

Fillings prevent bacteria or plaque from building up inside cavities, which could lead to serious infections. They also stabilize the tooth, to keep it from chipping, cracking, or breaking. Without a filling, cavities could seriously compromise the health and function of your teeth.