Chances are, if you have had a cavity before, you know what a dental filling is. This restorative treatment can be used to stop the progression of decay and protect your smile. However, did you know that there are additional uses for this minimally invasive treatment? In today’s blog, your dentist in Dallas, TX, will discuss how we use composite fillings to treat cavities, repair broken teeth, and correct other dental flaws.
Restore Your Teeth After Cavities
One of the most common uses for composite resin is for fixing cavities. Tooth decay can happen over time when bacteria from food and drinks accumulates and hardens into plaque and tartar. Over time, this buildup can begin to wear away at your enamel and lead to a small hole in it, also known as a cavity. We treat cavities with fillings to stop the progression of decay and protect your tooth from bacteria entering the space again. Dental fillings are commonly done for patients of all ages and are often a minimally invasive solution that takes under an hour to perform. We use composite resin due to its versatility, lifelike appearance, and ability to bond to nearly any surface, despite the possibility of using many other materials.
Fix Broken and Worn-Down Surfaces
We may also use this resin material to restore worn-down tooth surfaces, chips, cracks, and more. Worn-down teeth can occur over time due to bruxism (teeth grinding). When you grind your teeth, the enamel can wear down over time, which can increase your risk of cavities, breaks, and more. To repair this, we may add strong resin material to the area to build the tooth back up. The material can also be used to repair chips on your enamel, which can happen if you have hit your mouth and injured it or bitten down on a hard candy or food.
Address Cosmetic Issues With Your Smile
You can also use composite fillings to address some cosmetic issues, such as small gaps in your teeth. Braces or Invisalign are needed to fix orthodontic gaps. However, if you have minimal spacing issues like a small gap between a tooth or uneven surfaces, composite fillings may be used to make the teeth appear more even and symmetrical. A filling can also be helpful treatment for patients whose teeth do not respond to whitening, especially in cases of the discoloration occurring below the enamel. Fillings are minimally invasive and often take less than an hour to complete, so this can be a quick and easy treatment for many.
Find Out More With Our Team
Composite fillings are a great, versatile treatment for cosmetic and restorative needs. To schedule your treatment, call our Dallas, TX, dental team today at 214-343-1818.
