Dental Fillings
Dental fillings are used to repair holes or cavities in a tooth. But do you know how many types of dental fillings teeth there are? Or when do you need this treatment? We will provide a complete guide below. Please contact us if you require accurate details about your situation.
What are Dental Fillings?
Dental fillings assist in repairing cavities and returning a tooth’s function and natural tooth structure to normal. It’s one of the direct restorations.
A composite (tooth colored) filling is used to repair a tooth that is affected by decay, cracks, fractures, or to build worn out teeth etc. These fillings repair the gaps in our teeth created by decay and wear, ensuring that our teeth are healthy and can continue to operate without more deterioration or becoming a bigger problem.
Composite Fillings suitable for:
- Teeth chips.
- Closing the gap between two teeth.
- Teeth that are cracked or fractured
- Teeth decay.
- Worn teeth.
Types Of Dental Tooth Fillings
Dental Filling Material come in a wide variety, each with distinct benefits and drawbacks. Your dentist and you may talk about the best alternatives for repairing your teeth. Composite fillings and silver amalgam fillings are the most common today. Composite fillings are more visually appropriate for use in front teeth or other exposed portions of the teeth since they may be carefully matched to the color of existing teeth thanks to their tooth color.
Dental filling dental materials including:
Composite Fillings
The ingredients of composite resin fillings include acrylic resin and tiny, glass-like particles that have been carefully ground. This results in the most natural-looking repair. In small to medium-sized restorations that can bear light chewing pressure, composite fillings offer durability and resistance to fracture. Due to their greater susceptibility to wearing over time, these fillings don’t last as long as other varieties.
Porcelain Inlays
Porcelain fillings are less expensive than gold fillings and are similarly created in a lab before being glued to the tooth. Because they can be matched to the color of real teeth and are stain resistant, they are a popular option.
Cast Gold Fillings
Before being set in place with cement, cast gold fillings are created to order in a lab. If maintained, they can last over 20 years and work well with gum tissues. Gold is widely regarded as the best filling material, although it is frequently the most expensive.
Silver Amalgam Fillings
To create a strong and long-lasting filling material, amalgam fillings include silver, copper, tin, and mercury. In comparison to other materials, it is reasonably priced, easy to use, and extremely wear resistant. Due to its dark color, amalgam fillings are suggested for teeth that are hidden and further back in the mouth.
Glass Ionomer Fillings
Glass ionomer fillings are tooth-colored and bind easily to tooth tissue. There are various advantages to glass ionomer cements. To help stop decay beneath and around the filling, they gradually release a fluoride over time. These appear natural because they can be readily customized to match your tooth color, but they are not suggested for loadbearing teeth since they wear easily.
Dental Filling Procedure
Composite fillings are often placed in an one visit. Your dentist will treat any decay while the tooth is numb. The area will then be completely cleaned and prepped before the new infill is installed.
For further protection, a specific drug will be administered if the decay occurred close to the tooth’s nerve. Your tooth’s form and function will then be exactly restored by carefully positioning, shaping, and polishing the composite filling.
When composite fillings are first installed, it is common to feel sensitivity to heat and cold; however, this sensitivity will soon go away as your tooth becomes used to the new filling.
Consultation
Before the filling treatment, your dentist will give you a thorough explanation of the procedure. Depending on where the damage is and how severe the tooth has been damaged, each operation may change. You will have the chance to ask any questions you may have concerning the treatment at this time, ensuring your comfort and relaxation. However, knowing what to anticipate before seeing your dentist is always beneficial.
Evaluation
The initial step is to check the teeth and identify the problem regions that require fillings. A dental probe to assess the tooth’s condition and a liquid dye to identify cavities are often used by the dentist to do this. Sometimes, an x-ray will be taken to discover comprehensive information on the state of the tooth decay.
Anesthetic (local and optional)
A local anesthetic may be used by the dentist to numb the area around the tooth before the filling is placed. This is done to guarantee your comfort throughout the treatment. However, depending on the amount of the filling and your particular preferences, you may not require a local anesthetic.
Getting Rid of Decay - Tooth Preparation
The tooth decay will then be removed using a high-speed metal drill. When the drill reaches the second layer of the tooth, the softer dentin, a slower drill will be employed. Sometimes the residual tooth decay can be removed with a laser. The spot will next be sterilized to get rid of any lingering bacteria and get the hole ready for the filling material.
Procedure For Composite Filling
Because the area must be entirely dry, a suction instrument will be utilized throughout the treatment.
First, an acid gel will be applied to the tooth for roughly 15 seconds before being wiped away. This is referred to as etching, and it prepares the tooth’s surface for the bonding substance to adhere to.
The bonding substance is next applied, forming another layer beneath the filling. A blue light will then be used to “cure” or solidify the composite resin filling once it has been molded onto the tooth.
Amalgam Filling Procedure
The dentist will first create a hole that will accommodate the filling. To reduce discomfort and leaking, the tooth may be walled if the cavity is exceptionally wide or deep. Before the amalgam solidifies, the dentist will mold it to fit the tooth.
Complete
Depending on the kind of filling, your Spring Orchid dentist may apply a layer of resin and solidify it with a strong light. The dentist will polish the tooth after placing the filling.
After Composite Tooth Fillings (White Fillings)
Your lips and tongue may remain numb for many hours after the session if an anesthetic was administered. Till the numbness has entirely subsided, refrain from chewing and drinking hot liquids.
While you are numb, it is very simple to bite or burn your tongue or lip. It is common to feel some warmth, cold, or pressure sensitivity following your session.
Injection sites can sometimes be painful. To relieve soreness, use one tablet of ibuprofen, paracetamol, or aspirin every 3-4 hours as per instruction or requirement.
Contact our oral health professional office when pressure sensitivity lasts more than a few days or if your sensitivity to heat or cold worsens. Your composite fillings are totally set before you leave the dentist’s office, so you may begin chewing with them as soon as the anesthesia wears off entirely. Call our office if your bite seems uneven, if you experience ongoing pain, or if you have any other questions or concerns.
If you need a filling DO NOT DELAY! Call us at Spring Orchid Dental to book an appointment. We will help you in achieving the desired results you want.
Dental Filling Costs
Various variables, including the filling (amalgam or composite), the location of the tooth, and the number of tooth surfaces that require filling, might affect the cost of dental fillings.
Our mission is to provide dental fillings at the most reasonable price. So please get in touch with us for an accurate price.
Dental Fillings At Spring Orchid Dental
Once more, the ideal person to advise you on the material type to utilize for your dental fillings is your dentist.
Spring Orchid Dental offers a skilled team of dentists for dental fillings in Bassendean, Perth (Western Australia). We are dedicated to preventative care and care about our patients. Please contact us as soon as possible to schedule a check-up.
FAQs
Are Amalgam (Silver) Fillings Safe? - oral health education
For many years, people have been concerned about amalgam (silver) fillings. In an amalgam, mercury retains copper, silver, tin, and zinc. For nearly a century, this alloyed metal has been used to fill teeth. Some people believe that mercury vapor and minute particles are harmful to their health.
According to the ADA, 76% of dentists employ silver-containing mercury. The ADA study found no link between mercury-containing silver fillings and any medical problems.
Most doctors believe that amalgam fillings are safe. The FDA, CDC, WHO, and other organizations agree with the ADA that silver fillings are safe, long-lasting, and inexpensive. According to the US Public Health Service, the only reason to avoid silver fillings is an allergy. Despite the fact that millions of silver fillings have been placed throughout the years, the ADA has received less than 100 reports of adverse reactions.
Amalgam restorations are a long-lasting alternative to “white fillings” when they are not recommended. Replacing amalgam restorations in aesthetic regions may be necessary because to recurrent decay, fillings, or tooth collapse.
Silver fillings can be replaced by composite (tooth-colored), porcelain, or gold fillings. We recommend talking with your dentist about these choices.
How Long Do 1 Cavity Fillings Take?
A filling usually takes an hour or less. A basic filling may be completed in as little as 20 minutes. Many dental offices now have the equipment to create onlays and inlays in a single session, albeit a bigger filling or many fillings may require more time.
What's A Temporary Filling?
A temporary filling is a therapy that can heal a broken tooth temporarily, and it can last from around four to twelve weeks. They are a stopgap measure that alleviates the discomfort caused by the damage and makes it feasible for you to carry on with your life as usual.
Can I Smoke After a Dental Filling?
You should not smoke after having your teeth filled because it will affect tooth coloured and shorten the time you can use the filling.
