Fillings, restorations

Teeth are most often damaged by decay or cavities, an infection of the dental tissue caused by pathogenic bacteria, previously called dental plaque and now dental biofilm.  The acids produced by the metabolism of this biofilm affect the dental enamel (the external glassy cover that protects the tooth against aggressive factors) in the same manner as a drill. Once the enamel is bored those factors reach the dentine where the destruction expands in a radial sense devouring the tooth and transforming it into a soft, cheese-like, tissue.

The role of the dentist is to eliminate all the damaged tissue, to clean up the remaining healthy tissue and to make a filling, which is a patch that should last a few years.  This patch has some expansion and contraction coefficients different to the covers of the tooth which means that over the years there may be some tiny cracks or micro spaces that will allow the bacteria to reproduce the earlier decay.  This is why it is so important to ensure periodic revisions of the mouth.  It is how we detect the slightest changes in the dental structure so that we can mend them before any more damage is done.

After an orthodontic treatment there can be gaps between the teeth. We close them so that they will be better cosmetically and without spaces.

Sometimes the teeth have a congenital malformation that gives them a pathological aspect and that is easily concealable or repairable.