When Do I Need a Dental Filling and What Options Do I Have?
Many people look to Markham family dental clinics to address all kinds of dental issues, especially fillings and cavities. We see patients with all types of reasons for needing fillings, including tooth breakage, cavities, or any other kinds of damage. If this is your first experience with this type of pain, check out the list below for symptoms that indicate you should be giving us a call. Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s talk a little bit more about fillings in general.
Many Markham family dentistry clinics suggest that the following symptoms may be telling you it’s time for a filling:
- Pain in the teeth, consistent throbbing or random sharp pains, often when eating
- Extreme temperature sensitivity to cold and heat
- Small holes in your teeth
- A dark brown marking that wasn’t there before on the tooth
- A change in texture on the tooth
In addition, here are some quick facts about filling so you know your options:
Fillings reconstruct the shape and function that has been altered by the removal of decay or damage.
Fillings come in a variety of materials including complete resin, alloy metal, porcelain, and even gold.
The materials used for a given patient is the one that has the closest resemblance to surrounding teeth.
You’re now armed with a little bit of knowledge about fillings, which means it’s time to discuss the reasons why a filling may be necessary.
Reasons a Filling is Needed
Decay
This is the most prevalent culprit when it comes to decay of the tooth. When a tooth is rotting, the decay will become present. This can cause teeth to be highly sensitive, and often painful. Your family dentist in Markham understands the importance of working with patients to be proactive to their concerns, especially if they notice a change in their teeth. In order to stop the decay from spreading further, our dentists remove the infected areas and then apply the filling. Your filling will be crafted to align with the shape of your tooth. This also helps protect it from bacteria and infection, while also ensuring the look of your tooth is intact.
Enamel Loss:
Enamel acts as a kind of armor for your teeth, the wear and tear of life, and the things you eat are intense, especially if you like toffee. Unfortunately, enamel can be lost over time, from normal wear and tear to brushing your teeth too hard. Teeth can become more sensitive as enamel is lost and sometimes our dentists recommend a filling to protect your teeth from further damage.
Trauma
Sometimes tooth trauma occurs in a way that makes the damaged tooth salvageable, though it often requires a filling. If a tooth is chipped, then it may call for a partial filling to sustain the shape of the tooth. Cracks are also an issue in situations of dental trauma, as well as by clenching and grinding teeth. Fillings can act as a barrier to further cracking, helping the tooth avoid being weakened even more.
Replacing an Old Filling
Sometimes fillings become worn down, or they fall out in their entirety. Whatever the reason, we’ll replace the lost filling with a tailor-made solution to give you the best and healthiest smile possible.
