Tooth Colored Fillings Can Restore Your Tooth

Tooth colored fillings are one of those essential components to a dentist visit. When you have cavities, we have to work to remove the decay and then replace the portion of the enamel that we have removed. In addition, the decay tends to eat away some of the enamel, which also has to be replaced. Most people understand that a cavity is caused by bacteria, which leaves a small hole in the tooth. What most of our patients, who come in for dental fillings, do not know is that much of the time your teeth can repair themselves with the help of the minerals in saliva, fluoride, and water. Saliva contains vital minerals like calcium and phosphate, which the enamel can use in self-preservation. However, over the course of time the repeated introduction of food acids leads to a depletion of the natural mineral necessary to sustain a tooth. Often you may notice a white spot on the tooth when this is happening. The bacteria, which occurs naturally in your mouth, forms a thin layer of film over the teeth known as plaque. Every time starchy foods or sugars are introduced to the teeth, the bacteria in this plaque produces acid. Eventually, the acid wears the enamel down, and you find yourself needing Tooth colored fillings.

When it comes to dental fillings, we are passionate about constantly improving the technology that makes dental fillings even better for our patients. There are a number of people who remember that not so long ago when we used to place fillings they were made of metal or amalgam. Today there are a number of different options, including white fillings. Tooth colored fillings can be the same color as your natural teeth, which means they are barely even seen. This allows us to fill teeth closer to the front while giving you a better looking filling. The innovation, however, continues.

A few years ago a laboratory at the University of Maryland Dental School developed a new type of filling that not only fills in the cavity but also works to ensure that if there are any residual bacteria left in the cavity, the filling will kill it. To do this, the filling incorporates silver nanoparticles and ammonia. These two components are both known to kill bacteria. Enamel has the ability to heal itself, and with the help of this new technology we would be able to encourage this healing so that the tooth can replace the tissue lost to decay. While there is still a lot of testing that needs to be done on this technology, and some concerns with the use of silver nanoparticles with regard to how they relate to the overall wellbeing of a person, we are definitely on the road to creating solution that work to kill all bacteria and give the enamel the opportunity to heal naturally.

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