What is a Cavity?
When plaque on your teeth absorbs sugar and creates acid that causes your enamel to dissolve. A small hole, called a cavity, will then form in your tooth.
Symptoms
- Usually, nothing at all!
- Sensitivity to hot, cold, or chewing
- Pain in your tooth or near the gum line
- A new space begins trapping food
- Teeth that change color
If you do have a cavity, fillings can be placed to prevent further damage to your tooth.
Filling Options
Tooth-Colored (composite resin) fillings are durable, bond to tooth structure, and blend into the natural colors of your teeth.
Silver-Colored (amalgam) fillings are less expensive than other options. They’re made up of a safe combination of metals including mercury, silver, tin, and copper. In general, more tooth structure needs to be removed when placing an amalgam filling.
Gold fillings (inlays) are made of gold alloy, copper, and other metals. These can last 20 or more years but are more costly than other options and need more than one office visit.
Got a filling and not sure what to do now that you’re home? Read our Post-Op Instructions.