The acids and sugars in the things that you eat and drink can slowly attack your smile over time. Cavities start as a very small area of decay that, if left untreated, can break down your tooth structure and ruin the appearance of your smile.
When you have a cavity, the most common way to treat it is to receive a filling, which helps seal the hole created by the cavity after the decay has been removed.

Some reasons why you may need a crown include: a large cavity, fractured or worn down teeth, protection after root canal treatment, or coverage of a discolored or misshapen tooth. During your exam at Apex Dental, our doctors will look thoroughly for any of these conditions and inform you if you may benefit from a crown.

Fillings come in a variety of materials, but the most advanced and popular is composite resin, which is a safe, tooth-colored substance. Here’s why our dentists prefer composite fillings.

For many years, dentists treated tooth decay with fillings made of metal or an amalgam containing variable amounts of mercury, an element that can be toxic with too much exposure. Many dentists have opted to move from amalgam fillings to composite fillings. As practitioners with a functional and whole health approach to dentistry, we are mindful of how the substances used in traditional dentistry can have a negative impact on not only your smile but your general health. At Apex Dental, our dentists routinely use composite dental fillings to repair cavities or minor damage to your teeth. These fillings are a safe, comfortable and attractive alternative to the fillings that dentists have used in the past.

From a health standpoint, composite fillings have a number of advantages over the traditional variety:

• They contain no harmful materials. No mercury. No BPA. The composite resin that we use at Apex Dental does not contain BPA, and it has been a top performer in safety and toxicity studies of dental composites.
• Teeth can be prepared much more conservatively for composite restorations, unlike amalgam fillings that require removal of additional healthy tooth structure in order to retain the filling.
• The composite bonds directly to the tooth surface, creating a seal against future decay.
• Modern dental composites have compression strengths closer to natural tooth structure than older metal and white filling materials, so they are more biocompatible during chewing and function.
• Composite fillings are shaded to blend in perfectly with your smile.

While composite fillings are a safe and effective way to treat dental decay, preventing cavities is an even better way to ensure the health and safety of your smile. Maintaining a consistent brushing and flossing routine and visiting your dentist twice a year for cleanings and exams is very important, however, there’s more to the story. Feeding your body a diet full of nutrient dense foods is essential to achieve and to preserve oral health. For more information on nutrition for oral health, please see our blog #liveyourbestlife (link to #liveyourbestlife home page). A great place to start is Nutrition for Oral Health goes far beyond just “avoid sugar”