What causes cavities?
Cavities are caused when bacteria normally present in our mouth begin to multiply, attacking the enamel surface of teeth and working their way into cracks and crevices where they release acids that break down your tooth material and structure leading to cavities/decay.
How are cavities treated?
Once a cavity has been discovered, the first step is to evaluate the extent of the decay. At smile studio the dentista, we use x-ray to determine the extent of decay. Once the extent of the decay has been assessed, the next step is to carefully and thoroughly remove the decayed portion as well as any surrounding debris to provide a clean surface for the filling material. Smile studio the dentista is a mercury-free and BPA-free practice, which means we use strong tooth-colored resins to fill cavities. Composite fillings have several advantages over metal fillings:
• They’re mercury-free, which eliminates any risk of mercury contamination.
• They can be tinted to match your teeth so they’re virtually invisible.
• Their superior bonding ability makes them an ideal choice for restoration of large cavities.
• Unlike metal fillings that can weaken teeth, composite resin fillings provide additional strength to the tooth structure.
Are metal fillings dangerous?
Traditional metal amalgam fillings contain mercury, which has been shown to be very harmful to health. Over time, mercury may be released from fillings as the filling material slowly wears away through continual chewing and grinding motions. Composite fillings contain no mercury, and many patients opt to have their old metal fillings replaced with composites to remove the risk of mercury contamination. Metal fillings also don’t bond as well with the natural tooth material compared to composite resins, making it easier for decay-causing bacteria to get beneath restorations and cause deep secondary decay’s.