Dentists In Utah Are Current On New Technology: A Look At The Old
Teeth play an important role in our lives, and dentists in Sandy, Utah, as elsewhere, contribute greatly to their care and maintenance. We may take for granted many technological advances developed only after numerous attempts and failed experiments. Take dental fillings, for example. When a tooth is worn down so that the enamel is punctured by a hole called a cavity, it’s critical to the life of the tooth that it be filled with a substance that can readily return it to everyday usefulness.
Discovering the best materials for filling cavities has been a long process. Over the years, many things have been tried including stone, resin, gum, and notably various metals. It is the metals that have traditionally provided the best performance. They can be manipulated readily to fill the cavity and further provide the ability to survive exposure to digestive acids and chewing. At times, the lack of availability of more acceptable materials has prompted the use of the unusual, as when, during the Civil War, shotgun pellets were, literally, pressed into service.
As with every learning experience, some paths lead to dead ends. For example, it was once acceptable to use lead as a component in filling mixtures. Back in the eighteenth century, its softness was judged a virtue as it could readily be made to fill a cavity. Eventually, though, lead’s toxicity, documented even then, would override any perceived advantage it offered. Placed in the mouth, it would be in position to be slowly ingested and absorbed into the patient, with long-term disastrous results. Lead ceased to be generally used for this purpose by the beginning of the nineteenth century.
Tin was a key favorite in fillings where low cost was important. It worked well in that it was malleable and could be fitted easily, but it also oxidized and would turn teeth dark, making it only useful where it couldn’t be noticed, as in back. These and many other early efforts helped to form the foundation for the scientifically advanced and proficient level of Utah cosmetic surgery today.
Gold has had value beyond a means of currency in its use as a dental filling. More durable than tin, without the danger of discoloration, it is also soft and pliable. Often used as a thin foil, and with an adhesive for better holding power, it also found use in pellet form. Gold pellets could be placed in the cavity and a hollow formed at its center. More gold was added to this to increase the firmness of fit. Sometimes, the gold would be left higher than the tooth to be compressed further into place over time. We have learned much over the years from procedures like these. These developments have advanced the broad base of scientific knowledge enabling your dentist in Sandy, Utah, to provide the very best care for your very important teeth.
Want to find out more about dentists in Sandy then visit Creek Road Dental’s site and see what a great dentist in Utah can do for you.
