What are the Best Options for Repairing Teeth?
Teeth can become chipped or cracked, or decayed and it is always important to have any damage repaired by your dentist in Downham Market as soon as you can. Taking action to mend your teeth will help preserve them, preventing further infection and will help your natural teeth to last as long as possible. Over the past few years an increasing number of newer and much more technologically advanced materials have been developed, making ugly and highly visible fillings a thing of the past. So what are your choices?
Composite Resin White Fillings
These are fillings made from composite resin, which is a type of strong plastic. The great thing about composite resin is that it comes in a huge range of different colours and even different translucencies, so our dentist at Downham Market will be able to accurately match your new filling to your existing tooth, often using a combination of colours to help the filling blend in seamlessly with your tooth. The result should be a very hard-wearing restoration that will last for several years.
Why is Composite Resin Better than a Silver Coloured Amalgam Filling?
The most obvious reason is appearance and if you are interested in cosmetic dentistry in Downham Market, then you’ll definitely want to go for this option which will mend your tooth virtually invisibly. However there is another reason for choosing white fillings over amalgam and that is because this material is healthier for your teeth. Composite resin bonds very strongly with your tooth, creating a nice, tight seal and preventing bacteria from getting into the tooth. Unlike amalgam, composite resin doesn’t expand and contract whenever it comes into contact with hot or cold, and it doesn’t flex when placed under pressure, for example when you bite or chew food. In addition, our dentist in Downham Market will need to remove minimal tooth structure when preparing a tooth for a white filling, preserving more of your healthy tooth.
Repairing Larger Cavities
White fillings are great for small to medium sized repairs, but for larger cavities you will need something stronger. When a patient has decay in the chewing surface of one of their back teeth, then we will often suggest an inlay or onlay which is made from hard wearing and long-lasting porcelain. These porcelain restorations can look fantastic and are what’s called an indirect filling which simply means they have to be custom-made in a dental laboratory using an impression taken of the prepared tooth. While your new inlay or onlay is being made, our dentist in Downham Market will protect your tooth with a temporary filling. At your next appointment, your new inlay or onlay can be fitted and cemented permanently in position.
Nowadays there is even another solution where you won’t have to wait for your new inlay as Downham Market Dental Care has what’s called a CEREC machine which is an on-site milling machine that uses the very latest CADCAM technology to mill your inlay from a single block of pure porcelain. Your new restoration can be made and fitted in just one visit.
If you know some of your fillings are getting a bit long in the tooth, why not book an appointment to see a dentist at our clinic? You can contact us on 01366 382265.