Fillings and Restorative Dentistry
For over half a decade, the Wohrman Dental Group has been providing superior dental care in the Memphis, Tennessee area. We’re proud to be able to offer up a comprehensive listing of services that cater to dental needs of all types.
From general dentistry and preventative care to cosmetic and emergency services, those who come to us are sure to leave with a brighter smile. While surface-level cleaning is important, sometimes the solution to dental issues begins deeper within the tooth itself. That’s where our restorative dentistry expertise comes into play.
Memphis Fillings and Tooth Restoration
The Wohrman Dental Group is proud to offer fillings and tooth restoration services to all of our customers in Memphis looking to protect their teeth and maintain their beautiful smiles. You can’t always avoid tooth decay or damage, but you can choose a trusted dental practice dedicated to excellent service to help you care for your teeth when they need restoration. The Wohrman Dental Group is that practice. Give us a call today to learn more or to schedule your appointment.
Where do cavities come from?
Sometimes, cavities develop in our teeth. When the cavities are small, we can fix them with tooth colored fillings called composite restorations. Composite filling material comes in many different colors and shades, allowing us to place fillings that blend seamlessly into your natural teeth!
Cavities are formed by a type of bacteria that naturally occurs in everybody's mouth. These bacteria, or "Sugar Bugs", grown and produce acidic by products in the presence of sugars that we love to eat. Sugars are in many types of food and drinks: candy, sweets, soft drinks, carbohydrates, bread, ect. These cavity causing bacteria use the sugars in our food to produce an acidic by product that eats away and erodes the protective outer covering of our teeth called enamel. Underneath the layer of enamel is a different material of tooth called dentin. Dentin is a more porous and softer material. Dentin is cavity food. When the bacteria erodes through the protective enamel and enters the softer dentin, the cavities rapidly spread and get bigger! Once the cavities enter the dentin, we need to place a filling.
Where Do Cavities Come From?
Your daily oral hygiene routine is vital to ensuring that your teeth stay healthy and your smile stays bright and beautiful. Yet, sometimes even the most dedicated brushers and flossers manage to develop cavities. What exactly are cavities, and how do they manage to form despite our best efforts?
Cavities are a decayed area of the tooth that has developed into a small hole. There are a few different reasons this decay might occur, including excessive sugar consumption, poor oral hygiene, bacteria in the mouth, and worn-down tooth enamel. When acids in your mouth wear away at the protective layer on the outside of your tooth, cavities will eventually begin to form. If left untreated, the entire tooth may eventually be destroyed.
How Do You Treat Cavities?
Brushing twice a day, flossing once a day, and visiting your dentist twice a year for a routine checkup and cleaning can go a long way toward preventing cavities, but it’s not guaranteed to stop them entirely. Fortunately, if you manage to catch your cavities early enough, treatment is quite simple.
If you were to come to Wohrman Dental Group with a cavity, the most likely treatment we would suggest is a filling. Tooth fillings are a simple procedure in which a dentist removes the decayed portion of the tooth and cleans it out. Then, the dentist fills it in with either a dental amalgam or a tooth-colored composite. The result is that the decay can no longer spread, and your tooth gets to stay in one piece.
Taking Care of Your Smile One Composite Filling at a Time
Cavities aren’t uncommon, but the vast majority of those suffering from them are hesitant to seek a remedy. Unfortunately, ignoring cavities altogether can lead to some painful results over the long term.
It’s estimated that upwards of 90% of adults living in the United States are dealing with cavities.
Ultimately, only a fraction of that group seeks the proper dental care required to fix the problem.
If left untreated, cavities can quickly multiply across teeth, eventually reaching the nerve level and causing serious discomfort. As tooth decay progresses through these problematic areas, untreated cavities may eventually even require more invasive solutions such as root canals or even extractions.
Before these more invasive procedures are ever necessary, having composite fillings placed is a simple and complete solution to treating cavities. Composite dental fillings can help patients maintain superior dental hygiene standards while also keeping smiles at their best.
At Wohrman Dental, we’ve long been dedicated to helping patients regain the smile and comfort they deserve by providing composite fillings that look and feel great. When you’re in need of composite fillings in Memphis, we’re always here to help.
Many Reasons for Having Composite Fillings Placed
Teeth are as unique as the individuals they belong to. At our restorative dentistry practice in Memphis, we understand that the reasons composite fillings may be needed are just as versatile.
Tooth decay from cavities is one of the most common reasons composite fillings are required, however, the bacteria that cause cavities can also contribute to other conditions that may benefit from composite fillings. These include treating teeth that are worn down, broken or chipped.
Patients also find that composite fillings are beneficial when it comes to closing space that exists between two teeth. In this scenario, our tooth-colored dental fillings can provide just the right results.
Recognizing Signs Composite Fillings Might be Needed
Seeking out restorative dentistry in Memphis at the Wohrman Dental Group often comes with one or more symptoms that indicate a need or composite fillings. While many patients come in with a toothache, others experience more severe pain when biting.
Other signs that may indicate it’s time for a composite filling could be an increased sensitivity to hot and cold foods, or pain while eating and drinking. Bad breath, tooth discoloration, or noticeable holes and pits within the teeth are also recognizable signs that it’s time for restorative dental care.
What Are Fillings Made Of?
For many years, tooth fillings were made of different metals, such as tin, silver, copper, zinc, and more, because they were strong, durable, and relatively affordable. But metal fillings do come with a significant drawback. For one, their silver appearance makes them stick out in the patient’s mouth.
This isn’t always a problem for everyone. It’s still relatively difficult to spot an amalgam filling in someone’s mouth unless they really open wide. Nonetheless, plenty of people would still prefer their dental work to be more inconspicuous. Fortunately for them, a tooth-colored composite was invented.
Our Memphis customers can now have their cavities filled with a tooth-colored material that is strong, durable, and a lot less noticeable than metal amalgam fillings. Thanks to tooth-colored composite, you and you alone will know the dental work you’ve had done.
The Process of Filling a Cavity with Composite Fillings
Patients who require composite fillings in Memphis will find the process used at the Wohrman Dental Group to be simple, stress-free, and straightforward. Before fillings are set, it’s necessary for pre-existing tooth decay to be removed.
A local anesthetic is applied to the treatment site before debris removal and cleaning begins. This step ensures a comfortable experience for the patient from start to finish.
Once the tooth is cleaned out, a bonding serum is applied, and composite filling is subsequently added in smooth layers. As the filling is inserted into the tooth, it’s hardened and cured by specialized light to create a durability that mimics natural teeth. Finally, the filling is smoothed to restore the tooth to its natural shape.
How to Tell if You Need Fillings
Believe it or not, all cavities don’t require tooth fillings. Some are small enough to be treated with fluoride or simply monitored to see if they develop into a more significant issue that does require treatment. Your dentist will be able to tell you the status of any cavities you may have, but you can also keep an eye out for the following signs that your cavity is significant enough to require a filling:
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Dark spots on your teeth
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Significant or throbbing tooth pain
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Sensitivity to temperature (heat and cold)
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Chipped or broken teeth
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Your dental floss always tears at a certain area
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You’ve lost a previous filling
If you notice any of these signs, you should schedule an appointment with Wohrman Dental Group as soon as possible, or the decay may eventually become too severe for a filling to fix. Remember that tooth fillings are quick and easy. Root canals are not.
The Benefits of Composite Fillings
Composite fillings come with a long list of benefits beyond the fact that they are a healthy solution to removing cavities. Many patients that elect our tooth-colored dental fillings find that they are more aesthetically pleasing than an amalgam filling. Composite fillings also come with the health benefit of remaining free of mercury, unlike amalgam fillings.
Composite fillings are known for providing great durability for teeth that have been weakened over time by decay and offer a solution to chipped and broken teeth. Overall, the composite filling process requires less tooth removal time before filling, creating a more efficient and timely experience for patients.
How to Decrease the Likelihood of Cavities and the Need for Composite Fillings
The restorative dental services available at the Wohrman Dental Group in Memphis provide unsurpassed peace of mind to our patients. That being said, there are plenty of steps that can be taken to reduce the likelihood of developing cavities or needing composite fillings at all.
We encourage our patients to commit to brushing their teeth twice a day with a fluoride-based toothpaste that protects teeth and reduces bacteria growth. Daily flossing is also an important step in reducing cavities while eating a balanced diet has also been shown to promote healthier teeth. Above all, make sure to visit the dentist regularly so potential cavities are caught early on.
What Can I Expect at my Visit for a Composite Filling at Wohrman Dental?
At the Wohrman Dental Group, our experienced and compassionate staff are always here to help make patients feel safe and comfortable at each and every visit. Our team is on-hand to educate patients on the composite filling process before undergoing the procedure. This information helps reduce any nervousness related to having cavities remedied in our clinic.
Our highly trained staff is passionate about what they do and is here to answer questions related to how cavities form and the best routes to preventing them. When patients come to the Wohrman Dental Group for composite fillings, they can expect excellent results at the hands of highly trained professionals who care.
Our Other Tooth Restoration Services
If you catch tooth decay early enough, all you’re likely to need to treat it is a simple filling. However, when the cavity is significantly advanced, or if your tooth has sustained some other kind of damage, you may need other tooth restoration services for the tooth to regain its form and function. Below are the other tooth restoration services we offer at Wohrman Dental Group.
Inlays, Onlays, and Crowns
Inlays, onlays, and crowns restore significantly damaged or decayed teeth by replacing the affected area with a ceramic or porcelain material that imitates a natural tooth in appearance, strength, and durability. The restoration that best suits you will depend on the area of the damaged or decayed tooth. Inlays restore the area between the cusps of the tooth, onlays restore the cusps themselves, and crowns restore the tooth’s entire surface.
Fixed Bridges
A bridge is a restorative dental procedure that can replace a missing tooth with a natural-looking pontic or false tooth. The pontic is attached to surrounding teeth and fastened into your mouth. Sometimes bridges need extra security to fix firmly in your mouth. For that purpose, dentists may have to cover the surrounding teeth with crowns.
Dentures & Partial Dentures
When tooth decay, damage, or loss is extensive enough to affect several or even all of your teeth, your best option may be full or partial dentures. Dentures are removable dental appliances that can replace those lost teeth. While other options may be more effective, dentures are usually simpler and often more affordable.
Dental Implants
A dental implant is perhaps the most effective way to replace a missing tooth or any tooth that has been significantly damaged or decayed. It works by fusing a titanium abutment to your jaw through a process known as osseointegration and then attaching a natural-looking porcelain or ceramic replacement tooth to the abutment. Dental implants are strong, durable, and they look just like a natural tooth.
A Comprehensive Dental Care Destination
Skill and expertise in dentistry are all-important if you want to avoid complications and pain during what could otherwise be simple and straightforward procedures. So when you need dental care, you should trust your smile and oral health to an experienced team of dedicated professionals like the Wohrman Dental Group.
Our team of dentists and dental specialists knows the value of a healthy smile, and we are committed to providing you with the high-quality tooth restoration services you need to ensure that your smile is healthier than ever before.