Maintaining good oral health is crucial for overall well-being. Several procedures and habits are recommended as oral health maintenance measures including brushing, flossing and regular dental checkups. However, cavities and tooth decay can develop despite diligent efforts. This may be due to poor innate bone health, diet, dentition and other risk factors. Fortunately, dental fillings offer a cost-effective and reliable solution to restore tooth function and prevent further damage.
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What are Dental Fillings
Dental fillings are a restorative dental procedure that involves filling the decayed area of a tooth with a biocompatible material. The material restores the structure of the enamel, prevents further decay and maintains functionality.
Material Options
The most common materials used for tooth filling include gold, porcelain, silver amalgam and composite resin. Each has unique advantages and disadvantages that drive selection.
Gold is durable, lasting 10 to 15 years and has a unique and stunning appearance. Unlike other materials, gold fillings will set you back a lot of money. It’s the most expensive option and requires multiple office visits for complete installation.
Silver lasts as long as gold but comes with a lower price tag. Some of the downsides to having silver fillings are the higher risk of tooth cracks and fractures, the allergic potential and the grey appearance.
Composite fillings match the colour of existing teeth and provide additional support to existing teeth. The material is commonly used to repair cavities within other fillings. Composite fillings are inexpensive and match the natural colour of teeth. Unfortunately, the material lasts less than a decade and requires several visits to install.
Ceramic is a durable option that easily matches pre-existing teeth. However, it’s almost as expensive as gold.
Glass ionomer is a special material used for fillings below the gumline. The filling releases fluoride, which provides protection against decay. Unfortunately, glass ionomer is weak and vulnerable to wear.
Ultimately, which filling you choose depends on your budget, preference and dental recommendations.
Benefits of Dental Fillings
Improved oral health: Fillings prevent the progression of cavities and protect teeth from damage. Curbing decay also protects gum tissue.
Restored function: Teeth only function optimally if they have the right shape and adequate strength. Fillings restore shape and strength, allowing for normal chewing and biting.
Enhanced aesthetics: Tooth decay and the associated structural damages compromise the aesthetics of teeth. FIllings maintain a pleasing appearance, restoring beautiful smiles.
Cost-effectiveness: Fillings are relatively affordable compared to other restorative procedures.
The Dental Filling Process
Here is what to expect if you walk into a dental clinic for a healthy smile, and a filling is your recommended treatment.
Consultation: Every visit begins with a consultation where you discuss treatment options, client expectations and professional recommendations. The outcome of a consultation is a decision on the most suitable filling material.
Anaesthesia: The first step in the installation process is the application of anaesthesia. In most cases, local anaesthesia is used in the area around the decayed tooth. In some cases, the dentist may add an anxiolytic or sedation to facilitate the procedure.
Tooth Preparation: The decayed portion of the tooth is carefully removed to create a clean and stable surface for laying the filling.
Placement: The filling material is placed into the prepared area, ensuring a precise fit and optimal adhesion.
Polishing: After the filling is installed, it’s smoothed and polished to the right shape for a seamless blend with the natural tooth structure.
Once you have a filling in place the onus is on you to take care of your oral health by following the right routines and recommendations. The dental clinic Maroubra provides filling installation services and other treatment options for good dental health. Book your appointment today and restore your oral health.
When seeking teeth alignment services from a dentist at Maroubra Clinic as an adult, time is of the essence. Adult patients wonder how long it will take before the teeth straighten out. Some feel anxious about wearing braces throughout and query whether there is a practical and different approach to teeth straightening. Many more doubt the success of straightening teeth in adulthood. This guide addresses such concerns and debunks some myths about orthodontics for adults.
Causes of Misaligned Teeth in Adults
Many people have crooked or overlapping teeth. They grow into adulthood with them because often, such teeth do not present any serious problems. However, such teeth may bring up cosmetic and health concerns for some. Maroubra dentist experts identify the following causes of crooked teeth:
- Gum Infection
Poor oral hygiene caused by poor or lack of brushing or flossing teeth as required leads to plaque build-up. The plaque inflames the gingiva, causing periodontal infection. When left untreated, the gum infection escalates, leading to loose teeth, loss of teeth, or shifting of teeth.
- Genetics
Tooth crowding, jaw shape, jaw size, hyperdontia, underbite, and poor palate development are some hereditary factors that cause teeth misalignment. Some of these problems manifest or become pronounced with the sprouting of permanent teeth.
- Injury
Facial trauma or injury to the jaws and teeth is another cause of crooked teeth.
- Thumb Sucking
When this habit continues after the permanent teeth sprout, it misaligns the teeth and causes other dental problems. For one, prolonged thumb-sucking may also cause tooth loss. If that happens, you’ll need to check out dental implants in Chesapeake VA, or one near you.
- Tongue Thrusting
This happens when the tongue presses against the front teeth during swallowing. With time, the habit pushes the front teeth outwards out of alignment. The dentist in Maroubra advises that, ideally, the tongue should press against the palate or roof of the mouth when swallowing.
- Premature Tooth Loss
The loss or extraction of primary teeth too early in childhood causes permanent teeth to shift or crowd toward the gap. That causes teeth crowding and a crooked smile.
- Malnutrition
Poor nutrition causes weak teeth and tooth decay that misaligns teeth. It also results in other severe and even fatal health problems.
Dentist Maroubra’s Concerns on Adult Orthodontics
Orthodontic interventions to straighten crooked teeth can help patients at any stage. Dentist Maroubra’s services show that effective teeth alignment procedures should start early in life. Yet, those procedures are necessary and helpful even for adult patients.
There are concerns with teeth straightening in adulthood. These factors may affect the effectiveness of orthodontic treatment in adults. They also determine the choice of orthodontic procedures appropriate for the adult patient. Below are some factors to consider for adult patients:
- If the patient has a pre-existing gum infection or has suffered from gum disease that has caused bone loss.
- The treatment for adults takes longer than for a child. It may take two or more years because the bones have stopped growing, and braces may take longer to align the dental and oral structures.
- The difficulty in aligning teeth when the adult’s bones have stopped growing means standard orthodontics, such as braces, may not work. The patient may require surgery.
- Some orthodontic interventions, such as braces, are not advisable for dental implant patients. The need for dental implants often comes with tooth loss in adulthood.
Why Adults Should Seek Teeth Straightening
Sometimes, adults may feel that resolving a dental problem they have lived with all their lives is not an issue for consideration. But correcting misaligned teeth transforms life because:
- It improves oral hygiene since the patient can reach all the teeth during brushing or flossing. Crowded teeth hamper that.
- Straight teeth improve facial appearance and boost self-esteem.
- It improves pronunciation and speech.
- Through it, patients receive treatment for gum disease, tooth decay, and underlying health problems such as bite issues and mouth breathing.
Conclusion
Although dentist clinics in Maroubra encourage teeth straightening to start as early as the first two years of life, they still show impressive results with adult patients. Therefore, getting a medical procedure that improves your quality of life is never too late.
