Worried about seeing unsightly black or metal fillings every time you smile? With the latest generation of tooth-coloured white fillings, you can have fillings that blend seamlessly with your natural tooth colour. And if you already have amalgam fillings, there’s never been a better time to update your smile.
Using today’s modern composite materials, white fillings have strength and flexibility that is comparable to traditional amalgam – so whether your Salisbury dentist has discovered a cavity, or you’ve decided to replace your old metal fillings, the team at Sarum Dental can help.
Want to transform a ‘shadowed smile’? Book today so we can assess your suitability for amalgam removal.
As the process of removing amalgam fillings can release the mercury contained in the metal, it is important the procedure be undertaken with the utmost care, and you can rest assured that our experienced team will only carry out treatment if it is safe to do so. Sometimes it is clinically preferable to only replace amalgam fillings if and when they fail.
Composite, or white filling material, can also be used as an inlay or onlay, to restore teeth that have minor damage such as cracks or stains. The process is similar to re-plastering a wall to cover superficial defects and the composite will be colour-matched to blend in perfectly with your natural teeth.
How does tooth decay occur?
Tooth decay is a natural result of eating and drinking anything that contains sugars or reacts with plaque on your teeth to form acids. Having sugary snacks or drinks between meals is particularly harmful as the acids have no time to neutralise.
How can I prevent tooth decay?
Of course brushing your teeth regularly and if possible after eating will help you avoid tooth decay. If this is not possible, chewing sugar free gum will help stimulate saliva which neutralises the acid in your mouth and prevent damage. Minimising the number of times you eat between meals will also help. Routine checkups and having x-rays will also allow us to see whether there is any early signs of decay present in your teeth.
What are the symptoms of tooth decay?
Unfortunately, in the early stages tooth decay have few symptoms. The first sign is often some sensitivity when eating hot or cold foods. As the decay gets closer to the pulp of the tooth you may begin to suffer from toothache.
What treatments are available?
If the decay is not too serious, we will be able to remove it and fill the tooth – usually with a white filling or composite. If the decay is more advanced, we may need to perform root canal treatment.