Tooth-colored fillings are used to fill in holes in the teeth caused by decay. The pediatric dentist will mold the fillings out of composite resin. Once the dentist cleans the tooth's cavity, they fill and close off the hole with the filling. The fillings match a patient's natural teeth to ensure a natural-looking smile. In addition, composite resin fillings may be strong enough to withhold bite pressure from the back molars.
The tooth enamel is an extremely strong substance. The enamel protects the teeth, but when a child consumes sugar and starch, bacteria feed and create an acid that wears down the enamel. This being the case, according to Colgate, about 60% to 90% of children have cavities, making routine visits with a pediatric dentist all the more necessary.
Cavities refer to holes that form in the tooth. Without treatment, they can compromise the tooth's structure and lead to an oral infection. To treat decay, pediatric dentists prefer to utilize fillings, with composite fillings being the most popular.
The first tooth-colored fillings appeared in the 1960s. To make composites, professionals used tertiary amine and benzoyl peroxide. In the 1980s, the mixture became a mix of resin and glass ionomer. Through the 1990s and 2000s, hybrid composites began to improve on the old methods. As a result, many patients, parents, and pediatric dentists began to prefer tooth-colored fillings because they have a more natural appearance than silver ones.
To create tooth-colored fillings, a professional mixes acrylic resin and powdered glass. The dentist removes the decay and layers the composite material. To harden or cure the material, dentists use a special light. Once complete, the dentist may grind the resin to fit and polish the tooth. Composite resin fillings can restore most of the tooth's original strength.
Dental filling technology continues to improve. One cavity treatment that children and parents may see in the future is resin infiltration. To treat small cavities, the pediatric dentist will apply a product to the small spaces between the teeth. They then press a gel between the tooth surfaces to prepare for resin. Next, the dentist places a plastic sheet between the teeth and fills the cavity by pushing resin through it. Once caries absorb the resin, they may use a curing light to harden the material.
Another future filling technology is teeth regeneration. A bioengineer behind the technology means to boost the tooth's natural healing ability by mobilizing stem cells in the dental pulp. Dentists would access a drug and inject it into the cavity as a gel. Once inside the cavity, dentists may cure it with ultraviolet light.
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Dental technology never stops advancing. Throughout the decades, tooth-colored fillings have become more durable, natural-looking, and easier to care for. This being the case, pediatric dentists will ensure children, who are most likely to have cavities, always have a way to protect the integrity of their oral health. If you would like to learn more or need to schedule an appointment for your child, contact us today. We will be happy to assist you in any way we can.
Request an appointment or call Hudson Valley Pediatric Dentistry at 845-363-4177 for an appointment in our Middletown office.
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