Taking care of your teeth is essential for preventing oral health issues, including cavities and gum disease. Cavity prevention involves brushing, flossing, and attention to diet. Too many acids or sugars in your diet will greatly increase your chances of getting cavities. If a cavity does form, it needs to be treated. Untreated, a cavity only grows larger, leading to more extensive tooth structure removal and possibly the need for a root canal. At Sunrise Dental, our Peoria dentist are pro-active and conservative. We diagnose cavities early so we can provide the most minimal treatment to fix the cavity. We use air abrasion, think mini-sandblaster, that is gentle and painless. We can treat your cavities, restoring the health of your mouth with composite dental fillings which are tooth colored and blend in naturally.
Composite Dental Fillings
For many decades, cavities were filled with amalgam. Still used today, amalgam is a very strong material. However, it does have some major disadvantages. It is silver in color, which makes it stand out against the rest of the tooth (which can ruin the aesthetics of your smile). It contains several metals, including mercury. Many patients are uncomfortable with the idea of mercury in their fillings. Amalgam fillings also require drilling more of the tooth’s structure away than just the cavity area.
Composite dental fillings are different. They do not contain metal. Composite resin is a mixture of fine ceramic, plastic, and other materials. Composite is not as strong as amalgam (although it can stand up to most normal daily wear and tear), but it does blend in beautifully with your teeth.
Benefits of Composite Dental Fillings
Composite dental fillings have several benefits:
- Composite resin provides a seamless fix, blending in perfectly with the color of your natural enamel
- There is no metal or mercury in composite resin
- Composite resin bonds with your natural tooth
- The material cures (hardens) faster than amalgam
If you suspect you have a cavity, don’t ignore it. Contact Sunrise Dental to schedule your appointment today.