Dental restoration and filling
Dental treatments
What does restorative dentistry mean?
Cavities are caused by the accumulation of dental plaque on the teeth. Plaque is a composition of bacteria, saliva and food particles. The bacteria in dental plaque convert food residue into acid. The acid dissolves the top layer of the tooth, the enamel layer. This causes the tooth to get affected. These attacks are called cavities or caries. If timely action is not taken during this process, the caries will begin to affect the dentin and eventually the nerves.
The emergence of caries and the caries process is greatly influenced by brushing behavior and eating and drinking habits. A cavity in the mouth cannot be felt unless it is already very advanced. Therefore, it is very important to visit the dentist regularly for a dental checkup.
Treatment
If a cavity is present in the teeth, the first thing the dentist will do is to see how far it has progressed. If a cavity is still in its early stages and it is detected in time, then there may be no need to intervene. In some cases, the tooth can still repair itself if appropriate preventive measures are taken. The dentist will look at the possibilities together with you.
By coming for regular checkups, the dentist can intervene early and prevent any affection of the teeth. If a cavity is already in an advanced stage (when the dentin layer has been reached), it will need to be filled in order to restore the tooth.
Filling does not have to be painful at all, one can choose to anesthetize the area if needed. Before a filling is placed, it will be necessary to drill into the tooth. First to remove some of the enamel. The reason the dentist will drill into your tooth first is to remove the part of the tooth with the bacteria and to better reach the affected part of the tooth. Once the affected part of the tooth is cleaned and prepared, the dentist can begin filling it. For cavities, composite (white filling material) is used as a filling. The filling will bond to the tooth material through a special adhesive. By using composite, which hardens very quickly, the tooth or molar can be used again immediately as an unaffected tooth.