Every six months right on schedule you show up at your dentist for your appointment, you get your teeth professionally cleaned a full dental Vestal NY examination. During the examination the dentist discovers a small cavity that requires a filling, exactly what is the dentist talking about? Cavities are common problems with teeth, they are caused by acids in your mouth that adversely affect the outer layer of your teeth, the dentist must remove the decay and once this has been completed, the resulting hole must be filled. Of all the dental procedures, a filling is by far the most common.
When the dentist has prepared the tooth, ridding it of all evidence of decay he has a choice of filling material; silver amalgam and tooth colored material are the most common materials used. These materials both have their pros and cons, the dentist will advise you, based on the specific circumstance which is the best choice.
• Silver amalgam:
The most common and widely used material used for Fillings Portland is silver amalgam. This material is basically a metal alloy which is composed of about half mercury and the remaining 50 percent is tin, silver, zinc and copper. This material is quite popular as it is perhaps the lowest priced filling material, easy for the dentist to apply, strong and durable. The downside of amalgam is the fact that is silver colored which is not the most pleasant thing to see when a person smiles, as a result it is used on the teeth that are not exposed when the patient smiles. When dental Vestal NY uses silver amalgam, the dentist expects it to last at least 15 years before they need replacing.
• Composite fillings:
If the tooth which was decayed is visible when the patient smiles the dentist will usually opt for a filling material which is tooth colored. This composite material can be mixed by the dentist to match very closely the color of the patient’s teeth. This filling material is placed into the hole and shaped, once it meets the dentists expectations it is hardened using a blue curing light. As composite fillings are made from resin they do not exhibit the same longevity as amalgam and as such they usually need replacing more frequently.
Although silver amalgam and composite fillings are the most commonly used materials for filling a tooth cavity, dental in Vestal NY also have at their disposal ceramic materials as well as glass monomer which is highly recommended for children. Although this material only lasts for about five years it is ideal as it releases fluoride which is beneficial in stopping further decay.
The New York Dental Group excels in dental in Vestal NY. For complete dental care from periodic checkups through a host of cosmetic procedures you can rely on the New York Dental Group. Click here to know more.
