White
Fillings
Many
patients simply have dentistry
that has outlived it’s intended
life. Drs. Martin and Frankenbery
are primarily concerned with the
health of our patient’s
teeth. Cracked teeth and leaking
worn out fillings compromise the
health of one’s mouth, and
ultimately a patient’s overall
general health. To begin with,
a filling is designed to stop
decay and protect exposed tooth
from further damage. In the past,
silver amalgam fillings have served
this purpose. Although these fillings
are typically the least expensive
solution, silver amalgams have
many disadvantages over the latest
composite “white”
fillings. Silver amalgam fillings
may actually fracture the tooth
when exposed to hot and cold,
by continually expanding and contracting
within the tooth structure. This
can lead to cracks or loosening
of the filling, allowing decay
to enter the tooth. If this happens,
the decay can continue undetected
and uncontrolled until the nerve
of the tooth is actually damaged.
At this point, a root canal is
often the only means available
to save the tooth.
Composite resins,
or “tooth colored fillings”
have several advantages over metal
fillings: the composite actually
“bonds” to the tooth
structure, so that the filling
adds strength and protects the
tooth. In addition, composite
restorations allow us to restore
teeth to their original shape
and color.
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