At Midtown Dental, we offer a variety of restorative procedures that can protect the appearance and function of your natural teeth. Today, we want to spotlight one common procedure that we use to save teeth: dental fillings.
What Are Dental Fillings?
Put briefly, we often use dental fillings to treat a cavity. In case you didn’t know, when we talk about cavities, we usually mean two things: the hole created by oral bacteria, and the oral bacteria itself. When a cavity forms, it’s important to remove the oral bacteria and decay as soon as possible – otherwise, the decay can spread and infect the delicate inner part of your tooth.
How Do Dental Fillings Help Save Teeth?
Placing a dental filling requires a short dental procedure. We first use a dental drill to extract all of the decay. Then, we place a dental filling in the cavity. The filling seals up the hole and prevents further decay and oral bacteria from collecting there again. Our team uses composite dental fillings that we customize to match your natural teeth.
How Long Do Dental Fillings Last?
One of the reasons that we use composite fillings is that they’re durable. With the proper care, your dental fillings can last between 10 and 15 years. During that time, fillings provide support and cavity protection to the natural tooth. Unlike amalgam fillings, composite fillings are also mercury-free.
Is It Hard to Take Care of Dental Fillings?
You should care for your dental fillings in the same way you care for your natural teeth. This includes brushing every day for two minutes each time and flossing every day. You should also keep up with visits to our office every six months so our team can ensure your dental filling is in good shape. To ask our team any questions or to schedule an appointment, call us today!
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