Find out the importance of a dental filling.
While you might not even know it, most people will have to get at least one dental filling during their lifetime. After all, cavities are the most common dental disorder worldwide. While our Lincoln, NE, dentists, Dr. Greg Blome and Dr. Sara Wubbels, would love to always be able to give you a clean bill of health when you come into the office, if you are dealing with a cavity you will need to get a dental filling as soon as possible in order to restore the tooth.
What is a dental filling?
A dental filling is a special material placed over a tooth to restore appearance, function, and strength back into a tooth often after a cavity (but sometimes due to trauma). While there are several different kinds of dental fillings, the most commonly used dental filling is composite resin because it looks similar to natural tooth enamel so it blends right in.
Why are dental fillings required?
If you have a cavity the decayed enamel must be removed or otherwise the decay will continue to spread further into the tooth. Once our Lincoln detects a cavity we will need to remove the decay as soon as possible. In order to remove decay, we will numb the area surrounding the tooth before using a dental drill to get rid of the decayed enamel.
Once the decay is fully removed we will need to restore the tooth so functionality and resilience are restored. If the tooth wasn’t treated with a dental filling it would weaken over time and be prone to further damage such as cracks or fractures. By placing a dental filling after removing a cavity we can restore the tooth’s strength and its appearance.
How is a dental filling placed?
If you are getting a composite resin filling, the material itself is similar to putty, so it is malleable and can easily be spread over the drilled away portions of the tooth. The resin is first matched to the color of your tooth before being applied. Resin fillings are applied in thin layers and each layer is hardened permanently into place after being properly shaped. The whole process of removing a cavity and placing a filling is pretty fast and you can leave the office immediately after treatment.
Are you experiencing warning signs of a cavity such as a toothache? Do you need to schedule your next dental cleaning? If so, then trust in the experts at Blome Family Dentistry to provide you and your family with the comprehensive dental care you are looking for in Lincoln, NE.