Tooth Fillings

Everyone is susceptible to cavities, but they can be prevented with a diligent home care regimen that includes regular brushing at least twice a day and flossing once per day.

What Are Cavities?

When the food we eat interact with bacteria in our mouths, the result is a chemical reaction that produces acid. This acid can erode tooth enamel (the white part of the teeth that we can see). This causes the tooth to decay. Eventually, a small hole will form in the tooth’s enamel surface and this is a cavity. As it grows, it’s an open door to infection and further decay that weakens the tooth and leads to pain and tooth loss.

In addition to decay on the enamel crown of a tooth, here are two other places that are vulnerable…

1. Root Cavity – Gum disease, or aggressive brushing, causes gums to recede, exposing the root and making it vulnerable to acid attacks. Root structure is softer than enamel so cavities can form easily.
2. Recurrent Decay – This is when a previously placed filling becomes compromised and the edges (or margins) of the filling or broken edges snag food and allow bacteria to seep underneath it. When this happens, decay reoccurs.

What Is The Best Way To Prevent Cavities?

Good home care and see your dentist in Fort Myers at least twice a year for checkups and oral hygiene care. Brush for two minutes twice a day and floss once and eat a balanced diet.

As a dentist in Fort Myers at Daniels Parkway Dental who practices preventive dentistry, we always monitor potential problem areas and catch and repair small cavities before they grow larger and cause more extensive and expensive damage.

Filling Options

There are a number of options for dental fillings, and together, we’ll choose what’s best for your unique situation:

• Tooth-colored composite fillings match your natural tooth-colour and are used on teeth in your smile zone (those that are visible when you smile) and for molars.
• Even stronger and better fitting than composite filling is an inlay or onlay. For inlays or onlays, the cavity is removed from the tooth very similar to a composite filling, but instead of a filling be made in the tooth, the inlay or onlay is made outside of the mouth and precisely bonded into the prepared space. This can result in a stronger, better fitting restoration in some cases.