The Gentle Dentist Trusted by Patients in the Highpoint, FL, Area – Florida Dental Centers
If you’d like to see a dentist near Highpoint, FL, Florida Dental Centers is a great choice. Trusted by area patients since 1981, our private group practice can attend to a wide variety of dental needs, from preventive services and routine fillings to root canals and oral surgery, and everything in between. When you choose a dentist with Florida Dental Centers, you can feel confident knowing that your oral health will be overseen by a caring professional who works closely with a dedicated team of specialists. Through this approach, we’ve found that we can ensure the best possible care for our patients.
If your search for a dentist in the Highpoint, Florida, area is prompted by tooth pain, it’s wise to see a dentist as soon as possible. However, you needn’t feel anxious about a possible cavity. Filling a cavity is usually an uncomplicated process, and your dentist at Florida Dental Centers will help put you at ease. While you might be tempted to ignore your toothache, don’t – a simple cavity can lead to the need for more extensive dental work, such as a root canal or extraction, down the road.
If your dentist determines that you do have a cavity, you and your dentist will have several choices regarding the materials that are used to fill it. For example, you might choose metal amalgam (a traditional silver filling) or a resin-based composite (a tooth-colored filling). While your dentist can explain the advantages and disadvantages of each type of filling material in detail, here is some basic information on their differences:
- Aesthetics – Composites can be closely matched to the tooth color, while amalgam has a dark, metallic appearance.
- Durability – Composite fillings wear out faster than their more durable amalgam counterparts, and generally must be replaced by a dentist after about five years (as compared to 10-15 years for amalgam).
- Bonding to tooth structure – Composites chemically bond to, and thus bolster, the existing tooth structure. Amalgam fillings require a larger space to attach to, and therefore necessitate the removal of some of the healthy part of the tooth in addition to the decayed area.
- Chips and cracks – While resistant to temperature changes, composites can sometimes chip off a tooth. On the other hand, amalgam expands and contracts in response to hot and cold food and drinks, which can cause a tooth to crack or fracture.
- Cost – Composites are generally more expensive than amalgam.
Together, you and your dentist can decide which type of filling material will be best for you, taking into account the size and location of the cavity along with your history, aesthetic concerns, and budget.
If you have a toothache, or you’d like to see a dentist for any other reason, contact Florida Dental Centers today. We’ll be happy to schedule an appointment for you at our office near Highpoint, FL.