The amalgam used to fill cavities in teeth can deteriorate over time and allow bacteria to get into the tooth. The bacteria will eat away at the tooth and will eventually cause the deterioration to worsen to the point that the tooth will break apart and crumble. To avoid losing the tooth, a dentist will clean out the cavity in the tooth and rebuild it with a composite resin that looks and feels like real tooth bone. If you have been told that you have to have Class II restoration work done on a premolar or molar, here is a general overview of what you should expect.

Lidocaine

A common numbing agent used in dentistry today is lidocaine. The lidocaine is administered using a syringe. The entire tooth and gum will be numb during the entire procedure.

Remove Bacteria in Tooth

Your dentist needs to remove the bacteria in your tooth before it kills all the pulp inside the tooth. The pulp is where the blood vessels, large nerves, and connective tissue are located. The pulp produces a material called "dentin". Dentin is the strongest part of the tooth and helps protect it from damage.

The first thing they will do is drill away the surface of the tooth to fully expose the cavity in it. Once the cavity is exposed, the dentist will clean out the inside of tooth to remove the bacteria causing the damage. The dentist will often use a tool called a "cleaning excavator" to remove the bacteria. The cleaning excavator is a long-handled metal tool with hooked blades on the end of it. The dentist will scrape the inside of the cavity with the tool to dig out the bacteria.

Composite Material

A composite material will be used to fill the cavity and restore the shape of the tooth. A metal band is placed around the edge of the tooth where the cavity is located to keep the composite material from flowing away from the tooth. A wooden wedge is placed between the tooth with a cavity and the healthy one next to it. A rubber-like material is placed on the surrounding gums to protect them during the procedure.

An adhesive is applied to the inside of the tooth so the composite material will cling to it.

The composite material is made out of resins and there are many types available. The material is placed in the tooth and hardened using an ultraviolet blue light. The material is placed into the tooth in layers so the blue light can penetrate the material and harden it. The dentist will shape the top of the material so it matches the bite pattern of the tooth above it. Any excess material is ground away with fine-grade sandpaper and then the tooth is polished to give it a finished look.

To learn more, contact a company like Staller & Gandel D.D.S.