How a Tooth-Colored Filling Can Be Vital to Your Oral Health

Because cavities are holes in your teeth, you’d think they’d be pretty painful, and sometimes they are. But many cavities are so small they fly under the radar with no visible or physical symptoms. So, why even bother with a filling if your cavity isn’t causing any problems?

We’re glad you asked. 

Hugh B. Rosenblatt, DMD, PA, specializes in general and cosmetic dentistry and has years of experience treating all types of cavities — big and small, new and old, painful and symptom-free. In this blog, he explains why you should never ignore a cavity even when it doesn’t seem to be a problem. He also addresses your treatment options and the oral health benefits of tooth-colored fillings. 

The dangers of ignoring a cavity

When you eat, food particles and sugars coat your teeth. When your saliva and your mouth’s naturally occurring bacteria mix in, an acidic substance forms to break down your food and begin the digestive process. If you don’t brush your teeth regularly, the bacterial acid stays on your teeth and erodes the surface.

Cavities occur when bacteria eat away at the protective outer enamel shell and create a small hole in your tooth. At first, you may not notice it; only X-rays can detect the early stages of cavities. But just because you can’t see or feel it doesn’t mean it’s not damaging your teeth.

Bacteria don’t stop at your enamel; they keep burrowing down through the layers until they reach the inner pulp where the nerves and blood vessels live. From there, they infect the root and can enter your jawbone and bloodstream. 

Cavities are easy to treat with fillings when they’re small and shallow, but if you allow them to progress, you may need a root canal or extraction.

How fillings work

As their name suggests, fillings fill your cavity, but before we apply them, we remove the bacteria and damaged tooth tissue using a dental drill. This is a critical step in the process because covering the cavity without cleaning would simply trap the bacteria inside, where they continue to destroy your tooth. 

Once the decay is gone and your cavity is sterile, the filling replaces the lost tooth tissue and seals the hole.

How tooth-colored fillings preserve your oral health

For many years, dental fillings were made of amalgam — a blend of multiple materials — including tin, copper, silver, and zinc. These metal-based fillings often contain mercury, leading to neurological impairment, kidney dysfunction, and other adverse health effects. 

Porcelain, gold, and composite (acrylic resin and glass) fillings solve the mercury problem but still require excessive drilling. 

Dr. Rosenblatt uses the innovative SonicFill™ technology that improves upon older filling techniques. SonicFill fillings are tooth-colored to perfectly match the shade of the surrounding tooth material, so you’ll never notice the filling — and neither will anyone else. 

But our tooth-colored fillings are more than a cosmetic match; they’re also better for your teeth, and here’s why.

Less drilling

Our tooth-colored SonicFill fillings require less drilling than other filling types, meaning we can preserve more of your healthy tooth tissue.

Pliable

Dentists used mercury in their fillings to make the metals more pliable and easier to use. SonicFill tooth-colored fillings contain moldable and sculptable plastic and resins to make them moldable and mercury-free.

Realistic

Our tooth-colored fillings match more than the shade of your teeth; they contain microscopic glass particles that reflect the light like the enamel on your natural teeth.

Don’t wait for your tiny cavity to become a big problem. Schedule an appointment with Hugh B. Rosenblatt, DMD, PA, and repair your cavities with our tooth-colored, tooth-saving SonicFill fillings. Call us today or book online at your convenience.