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When you have some tooth decay, it can lead to a number of different dental problems. For one, your teeth may become discolored from the decay, making your smile look less appealing. On top of this, the weakened structure of your teeth due to decay can lead to chipping and cracking of the teeth. These are just aesthetic issues, however. There are other important dental health matters to consider when it comes to tooth decay.

Why Getting Dental Caries Filled Is Important

When you visit a Livingston cosmetic dentist at our practice, we’ll discuss both the aesthetic and functional issues to consider when it comes to tooth decay. The most important structural issue there is when it comes to tooth decay is bite strength. If your teeth are weakened or damaged due to decay, your ability to chew may be diminished. In addition to this, tooth decay may spread and affect other structures of your mouth, leading to a major problem.

Options for Filling Dental Caries

Thankfully, there are plenty of options out there for filling dental caries and dealing with more severe tooth decay. The degree of your tooth decay will determine the best treatment option for you and your needs. While we can make a full assessment of your needs at our Livingston dental care practice, we’d like to briefly cover the basic dental filling options that are out there.

Dental Fillings

You’re probably most familiar with this dental treatment. In fact, we’re willing to bet that you have a few fillings yourself. Dental fillings are best for dealing with small amounts of tooth decay. In the past, metal amalgam substances were used to fill teeth, though today, many dentists prefer using dental ceramics and composite materials. These are the same color as teeth and do not contain harmful substances like the metal fillings of the past.

Inlays and Onlays

For more substantial tooth decay that is too large for dental fillings, consider getting inlays or onlays. It’s maybe easiest to describe inlays and onlays as large dental fillings. Using composite materials, large portions of tooth material and the biting surfaces of the teeth can be effectively restored, improving bite strength and the appearance of your smile.

Dental Crowns

When a tooth is extremely decayed or damaged, sometimes inlays and onlays won’t even be able to do the trick. In such cases, there are dental crowns. Dental crowns are caps that are fit over a patient’s damaged teeth to protect the tooth from further damage and to provide a more aesthetically appealing appearance.

Porcelain Veneers

In some cases, the damage to a tooth may not be related to tooth decay but just a little chipping and cracking. So while not technically a dental filling option, we feel it’s important that we bring up porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers are thin shells of a special dental ceramic that can effectively mask a number of different dental problems.

Other Options

In addition to the above options for dental fillings, it’s important to consider additional treatment possibilities that may be effective for various needs. Extremely decayed teeth may need to be extracted, in which can they can be replaced with Livingston dental implants. These artificial tooth roots can anchor individual artificial teeth, dental bridges, or dentures quite securely.

Many people also consider undergoing a full smile makeover in order to improve the overall appearance and health of their smiles. We can discuss these matters in greater detail at the Silverstrom Group.