You probably do your best to defend against cavities. You watch what you eat and drink. You drink plenty of water. You brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss at least once. You visit the dentist every six months for an exam and cleaning. You are vigilant about your smile’s health because you know how important it is. Then why do you need a dental filling? Unfortunately, good care and constant vigilance are not the only factors in protecting your smile from tooth decay. Genetics, bruxism, your mouth’s pH balance, or even just missing spots during your hygiene routine can all contribute to and cause cavities. If your dentist in Lafayette, LA, has recommended a dental filling, it is because it can disinfect, restore, and protect your tooth.
Disinfect and Restore
Once tooth decay has progressed enough and eroded your enamel enough, a cavity will form exposing the dentin of the tooth, which is the layer just below the enamel. Decay at this level will move faster within the tooth because the enamel is the hardest to penetrate. A dental filling will clear out the decay and disinfect the tooth of any bacteria. Any damaged pieces of tooth will also be removed. A tooth-colored composite resin will then be applied to the tooth to patch up the hole. The resin will be hardened and polished to give the tooth a natural appearance with the strength of enamel.
Protect From Further Damage
Restoring the tooth is important to fully restore the tooth’s abilities to do its job. Restoring a tooth with a filling also stops the tooth decay from progressing further inside the tooth. If allowed to get past the dentin, decay can reach the inner chambers of the tooth to cause pain, infection, and inflammation. A root canal treatment may be needed at this stage to disinfect and restore the tooth. If ignored at this stage, an extraction of the tooth may become a last-resort necessity.
A dental filling can defend a tooth.
Dr. Young can help you determine if and when a filling can help your smile. To schedule a consultation, contact us at our Lafayette, LA, dentist’s office at 337-237-6453. We proudly serve patients from Breaux Bridge, Broussard, Scott, Youngsville, and surrounding communities.
