Our Dental Blog

Once your permanent teeth emerge in your smile, that’s all you get. One smile for the rest of your life, which means it is very important for you to take care of it. Unfortunately, even with the utmost care, a cavity can happen. Whether it is caused by the pH balance of your smile, bruxism, or just a hygiene routine that could use some improvement, it is important to treat a cavity when it happens. A dental filling on a cavity helps to protect the smile from long-term damage. Your dental team in Kansas City, MO wants to help you keep your smile healthy and protected.

Stopping the Decay

Tooth decay will progress until it is treated. It will continue to spread deeper within the tooth until it causes pain, inflammation, and infection. At its worst stage, decay may cause the tooth to be extracted. An extracted tooth can have detrimental effects on the rest of your smile. To do a dental filling, your dentist will first disinfect the tooth to remove any decay and bacteria. This stops the bacteria from continuing to spread to the inner tissues of your tooth.

Restoring the Protective Layer

The next part of a dental filling after the tooth is disinfected is to restore it with a tooth-colored composite resin. This material looks and acts like the enamel of your tooth to give your tooth back an outer layer of protection that was compromised by the cavity. It is important to restore the tooth to prevent breakage of the tooth or further decay. Another important reason to restore the tooth is that enamel will not grow back on its own. Unlike your skin or bones, once your tooth’s enamel is damaged, it will not regenerate or heal. Restoring it with a tooth-like material is necessary because a tooth cannot restore itself. Restoring a tooth can give the entire smile a longer time of health.

A Filling Can Help Protect Your Tooth

Early treatment like a dental filling can help save your smile. To schedule a consultation, call Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry of Kansas City, MO, today at 816-427-4018.