Fillings: When acids produced by bacteria have compromised the integrity of a tooth the result is a cavity. When you have a cavity, the decay needs to be removed till only healthy, sound tooth structure remains. The tooth structure lost due to decay is then replaced by a filling. At Meadowvale we use a resin based tooth coloured filling material to replace the lost tooth structure.
Root Canals: When a cavity is very large, it often reaches the pulp of the tooth. The pulp is located in the center of the tooth and is comprised of a network of blood vessels and nerves. When bacteria reach the pulp, the pulp has to be removed. This is when we perform a root canal treatment. During root canal treatments we use very fine specialized instruments to remove the pulp of the tooth and the empty space left behind after removing the pulp is then filled with a rubber like material. After the root canal treatment a crown is used to restore the extensive damage to the tooth.