Some of the most common complaints in dentistry are sensitivity and change of sensations. Patients complain about pain experienced while eating sweet, sour or salt foods as well as increased sensitivity when consuming cold or hot beverages. Other commonly encountered complaints include bleeding of gums or food being stuck between teeth. In some cases, there are no complaints at all, but there is a noticeable discoloration of the dental tissue. What many patients don’t realize is that these are usually symptoms related to dental caries or tooth decay. Methods used by dentists to diagnose and assess the extent of tooth decay include visual and tactile examinations as well as x-ray imaging.
Caries has a microbial origin – it is an infectious and chronic disease of the hard tissue of teeth, characterized by dissolving and destruction of mineralized tissue.
Treatment of caries involves removing the damaged tissue and replacing it with a filling to protect the tooth from further decay as well as restore its natural form and functionality.
Caries treatment using dental fillings include:
- Light-setting composite (white) fillings;
- Porcelain fillings (made in technical laboratory);
- Amalgam (silver) fillings.
In cases when tooth caries has reached the soft tissue of a tooth (including nerves and blood vessels), root canal treatment (endodontics) is also required.
If more than half a tooth has been damaged, we offer porcelain fillings (prosthetics) to restore the form and functionality of the tooth.