All things you need to know about dental fillings

“Be kind to your Dentist. Even dentist have Fillings”

We hope that you got the thing in this quote. Yeah. The Dental health Professionals have dental fillings to fix the openings or holes in your tooth or teeth.

The acidic attack of oral bacteria on a tooth weakens its enamel and create a hole called cavities and then penetrates the inner part of the tooth. It results in tooth decay which induces severe pain in it.

Fillings, also known as cavity fillings are efficient to block further decay by filling the opening with composite materials. It also restores the natural appearance of the strength of a decayed tooth.

When are the dental fillings needed?

In general, our teeth require dental fillings in the following cases:

• When there is a minor decayed portion in your tooth
• To fix chipped and cracked teeth
• When the tooth structure is damaged

Types of filling materials

Gone are the days, exposing the filling materials even after cemented to your teeth. Nowadays, you can get tooth color filling materials. Various kinds of filling materials utilized to fill cavity include:

Metal Fillings

Gold and Silver amalgam fillings are the widely used metal fillings to fill the cavity holes.

• Gold Fillings are very well known for their long durability say 20 years. This is commonly used on inlays and onlays. It is quite expensive and costs as 10 times as silver fillings.
• Silver fillings are inexpensive and also lasts 10 to 15 years. The negative side of this filling is they are noticeable and contrast with your tooth color.

Composite Fillings

This is a combination of glass or quartz filler that makes the filled resin to match your tooth color. It is affordable and its durability ranges around 10 years.

Amalgam Fillings

This is the widely used cavity filling material that been utilized by Dental Professionals for several years. As the amalgam fillings are very sturdy, they are utilized to fill the molar teeth in order to restore the tooth’s strength and chewing ability.

Porcelain Fillings

They are commonly used on inlays, onlays, veneers and crowns. The lifespan of this filling is very less when compared to other filling materials. It lasts for 7 years only because it is brittle.

Glass Lonomer

The filling material is a combination of acrylic and glass. When it is cemented to a tooth, it releases fluoride to protect the tooth. The downside is it is less durable similar to porcelain fillings.

Depending on the depth of cavity and location of the infected or damaged tooth, your Dentist suggests the appropriate fillings.

Procedure involved in cavity filling

Beginning with analyzing the tooth structure and severity of infection, a Dentist uses antibiotics to numb the region to be treated.

Then the decayed portion on the enamel is carved following by cleaning the area to eliminate the oral bacteria. Now, the filling material is placed in the extracted region. It covers the interior and soft parts of the tooth.

When the process of filling is completed, the dentist checks the tooth is filled at right levels. If the material is placed excessively, the patient will suffer a pain following the treatment.

What can you expect after the filling treatment?

When a tooth is treated with filling materials, it causes mild pain and sensitivity to hot and cold particles for the next 2 days. It is not uncommon.

If the pain is unbearable and lasts for many days, visit your dentist because the pain may be due to improper filling.

Remember the following tips to safeguard or extend the durability of the fillings in your tooth:

Chew with the side opposite to the filled tooth for few days following treatment.

If you have the habit of bruxism, wear night guards before you go to sleep because teeth grinding will cause a crack or weaken the fillings.

The filled tooth require replacement of the filling materials. Hence if you feel pain or sensitive after years of the filling treatment. Schedule your dental visit. If they are not replaced, the bacteria in the mouth use the cracks on fillings to infect the interior parts of the tooth.

Bacterial infection on a tooth is the root of dental caries which lead to tooth decay. Hence maintain an efficient oral hygiene that includes brushing and flossing to remove the bacteria in your mouth. Then there is no need for dental fillings and replacing them after years.