Decay develops any way it can into the tooth bone, which means the Emergency Dentist in Pleasantville will usually have to drill and remove the diseased oral tissues and make a filling. This gives the tooth its shape again, so it can be used to chew with and can be brushed clean. Depending on the type of decay, the dentist may also choose not to drill. This is when Cosmetic Dentistry is used.
There are various dental filling materials:
* Plastic tooth-colored is the most common filling material that dentists use today. The material properties are so good that plastic can also be used for extensive decay attacks in both front and back teeth. The plastic is glued and formed into the tooth and cured with light from a special lamp. Patients can chew immediately after the filling is made. These are vulnerable to moisture, which means that there may be discoloration and new caries can set in at a later date. In these cases, the emergency dentist will suggest silver amalgam or possibly a crown. Plastic is complicated and time consuming to work with.
* Glass ionomer cements are tooth-colored, but are not as durable as plastic and is used primarily in milk teeth. In adults, it is used for fillings along the gum line and the root surfaces, and it can repair old fillings or crowns. Glass ionomer cements contain fluoride and may help to prevent new caries in people who have a hard time keeping teeth clean or have reduced saliva production.
* Silver amalgam is a mixture of hard metals and mercury. The metals are mixed just before filling in the tooth. For environmental reasons, silver amalgam may be used only in cases where it is not possible to prepare a good and reliable plastic filling.
* Gold can be used for reconstruction of severely damaged teeth. Once the Emergency Dentist in Pleasantville has cut the tooth in shape, an impression produces the cast replacement, for example, a crown fit precisely to the tooth. During the next visit, the dentist replaces it with a special cement. Gold is the strongest material to repair teeth with, but it is expensive and is not tooth-colored.
Decay is a serious issue and should never be taken lightly. If you are in pain, visit your local dentist to have your teeth checked out immediately.
