Has celebrating the holidays with sweet treats gone a bit too far, and now you’re suffering from a cavity? If so, don’t start the new year coping in silence with dental pain. Instead, talk to your restorative dentist about how a dental filling could help you bounce back, and start the new year with a fresh start and a fresh smile. In fact, modern dental fillings could even make your smile look better, because they’re designed to improve your oral health and enhance its appearance.

What Can a Dental Filling Do to Improve Your Smile?

Modern dental fillings can be made of tooth-colored composite resin, which is designed to match natural teeth, so that the resulting restoration is not only functional. It is also seamless.

• A filling works by helping to seal the tooth, tightly, so that it can prevent further dental decay, and infection.
• Without a filling, a cavity can leave the interior of a tooth exposed, often leading to an infection or an abscessed tooth, which can be both painful and unsightly.
• To apply a filling, the dentist will first thoroughly clean the area, and then sanitize it, to stop the decay.
• The composite resin will then be applied to close the tooth off from food particles or bacteria.
• Resin is a favorable material to create a filling, because it is easily made to match your teeth, and it bonds incredibly well with teeth, creating a great seal to prevent further problems.
• One of the most important keys to remember, with any restorative treatment, is to seek care quickly, at the first sign of trouble. Teeth cannot repair themselves, so dental treatment is necessary.
• It’s far more likely that you will need more extensive treatment, such as a root canal, rather than a simple procedure like a filling, if you delay treatment.