The ultimate goal of preventative dentistry is to help you keep your teeth and avoid tooth loss due to decay. One way to restore a partially decayed tooth and ensure that it will be protected from future damage is to have it shored up with a dental filling. This is a service offered at Blome Family Dentistry in Lincoln, NE. Learn more about how fillings can help restore your teeth to their normal function.
What Are Fillings?
As the name suggests, a dental filling is a way to fill in a damaged tooth. The dentist uses a paste-like material to repair the tooth then cures it until it hardens. Fillings are made of a variety of materials, including amalgam, composite resin, ceramic, porcelain and gold. Composite resin or porcelain fillings are often preferred because they are tooth-colored and can only be detected by an X-ray.
Purposes of Fillings
There are a number of reasons why your Lincoln dentist might use fillings. The first reason is to fill in cavities, which are small holes that can form in the crevices of the teeth. Cavities can grow into bad tooth infections if they’re not cleaned and repaired promptly—fillings provide protection. A filling might also be used to quickly fix a broken or chipped tooth, which often occurs due to an injury. Finally, filling material can be added to the surfaces around the teeth so that they are better formed and more attractive. In all cases, fillings help restore your teeth to their normal function.
The Normal Function of Your Teeth...
Some patients are so used to the discomfort that they feel when they’re eating or biting down that they aren’t sure what normal function is for their teeth anymore. The main function of your teeth is to thoroughly chew your food so that it can be properly digested. Another function is to give you a confident and attractive smile. If you’re feeling pain that prevents you from enjoying your food, or your teeth aren’t strong enough to function properly, or you’re embarrassed about your smile, a filling just might be the ideal solution.
Have Your Teeth Restored with Fillings
Whether you think you may have cavities or you want to improve the shape of your teeth, you can benefit from fillings. Call Blome Family Dentistry in Lincoln, NE at 402-483-7000 today to schedule an exam.