Dental fillings are a sure way of restoring your smile and its functionality in the event of tooth decay or damage. This article explores everything you need to know about dental fillings.
What Is a Dental Filling?
A dental filling is a restorative measure that is used to restore a tooth that has been destroyed due to decay, cracking, or wear. When the bacteria make holes in your teeth, the dentist removes the decay and replaces the area with a permanent material. This tooth filling prevents additional decay, replenishes the tooth structure, and allows you to chew with your teeth.
Dental fillings have become one of the most commonly practised procedures in dentistry that safeguard millions of smiles across Australia annually. Being aware of your choices will enable you to make sound judgments regarding your oral health.
Types of Tooth Fillings
There are several filling materials that modern dentistry provides, and they have distinctive benefits. Among the key categories of fillings in teeth, let us discuss them:
- Composite Resin Fillings
These tooth coloured fillings are most used in visible teeth. Composite fillings are created using a blend of a combination of both the plastic and glass particles, and this makes them blend with your natural tooth colour seamlessly. They attach directly to the tooth structure, giving great support and less healthy tooth material needs to be removed.
- Amalgam Fillings
Also known as silver fillings, the amalgam has been in existence for more than 150 years. It is a permanent tooth filling, which is a mixture of mercury, silver, tin, and copper, which makes it highly durable. Although not as aesthetically appealing as composite fillings, amalgam fillings are very strong against wear and should be placed in the back teeth, which have to endure a lot of chewing.
- Gold Tooth Filling
The high-quality choice of dental restoration is a gold tooth filling. These are bespoke fillings that are very durable and can last 15-30 years or more. Gold fillings are biocompatible, resistant to corrosion, and some patients like their unique appearance. Nevertheless, they must be visited several times and are associated with a higher cost.
- Ceramic (Porcelain) Fillings
Ceramic fillings are very aesthetic and stain-resistant. The tooth-coloured restorations are less abrasive than composite resin, but may be more brittle. They are commonly employed in larger restorations made in a dental laboratory: inlays and onlays.
- Glass Ionomer Fillings
These fillings emit fluoride that prevents further decay. Glass ionomer is normally applied to fillings under the gum line, children’s teeth, or temporary fillings. They are not as durable as other alternatives, but they have exclusive protection advantages.
The Dental Filling Procedure
Understanding what happens during your appointment can ease anxiety. Here’s how long it takes to get a dental filling and what to expect:
- Initial Examination
Your dentist will check the tooth that is affected, and may take an X-ray so as to determine the level of decay. In case the damage is too serious to be corrected using a filling, other forms of treatment may include a root canal, or even the use of crowns and bridges.
- Numbing the Area
To make the procedure as comfortable as it can be, a local anaesthetic is put in place. It will only take a little pinch, and the area will be numb in a few minutes.
- Removing Decay
With the help of specialised equipment, your dentist will slowly chip away all the tooth material that is decayed and damaged. It is necessary to remove it thoroughly to avoid additional deterioration below the filling.
- Preparing the Tooth
The cavity is then cleaned and contoured so that it forms an optimal space for the filling material. In the case of composite filling, a bonding agent is applied to the tooth surface.
- Placing the Filling
The material that is selected is laid down in layers (in the case of composite), or it is packed into the cavity (in the case of amalgam). The layers are hardened with the help of a special curing light for composite fillings.
- Shaping and Polishing
As soon as the filling has been set, your dentist will manipulate it to fit your natural bite and polish it so that there is no feeling of roughness. This guarantees easy chewing and the match of opposing teeth.
What is the time taken to have a dental filling?
The average duration of most of the procedures is 30-60 minutes, based on the size and location of the filling. Complex cases might take more time to make an appointment or have to visit to the dentist more than once, especially when it comes to gold or ceramic fillings.
Benefits of Dental Fillings
Dental fillings offer numerous advantages for your oral health:
- Prevent Future Decay: Fillings close the holes so that the bacteria cannot get into them and cause further damage later, and could save you an expensive root canal.
- Restore Function: An acceptable filling will provide your tooth with the natural shape and function, so that you can chew easily and talk normally.
- Maintain Natural Teeth: Fillings preserve your natural smile by repairing instead of removing damaged teeth, which leads to the migration of the adjacent teeth.
- Enhance Aesthetics: Tooth-coloured fillings today are almost invisible, and this will give you confidence in your smile.
- Affordable: It is much cheaper to treat the cavities during their initial stages using fillings than treating complex decays using root canals, crowns, or even implants.
- Fast Recovery: Fillings do not take a lot of time to recover; this is because fillings do not take up a lot of time as compared to other more invasive procedures, and hence, you will be back on your feet immediately.
How Long Do Dental Fillings Last?
The solution will be determined by several factors:
- Composite fillings: 5-10 years
- Amalgam fillings: 10-15 years
- Gold fillings: 15-30 years or more
- Ceramic fillings: 7-15 years
- Glass ionomer: 5 years
The longevity of the filling depends on the site of the filling, oral habits, diet and tooth grinding habits. Routine visits to the dentist will assist in keeping your dentist on top of your fillings and in early detection of any problems.
Aftercare: Can You Eat After a Dental Filling?
Yes, but timing and food choices matter:
- Amalgam fillings: Do not chew on the filled tooth until 24 hours have passed; amalgam is slow in hardening.
- Composite fillings: An instant hardening is performed using a curing light, meaning that you can eat as soon as the numbness disappears (usually 1-3 hours).
First, one should eat soft food and not very hot or very cold. The first day is to chew on the other side in order to preserve your new filling.
When to Seek a Dental Emergency
Call your dentist as soon as possible in case you experience:
- Pain or discomfort for more than a few days, or severe pain or discomfort.
- A loose or fallen-out filling
- Sharp edges that slice your tongue or cheek.
- Infection symptoms such as swelling or fever.
Such cases might call out an emergency treatment of a dental emergency to avoid complications.
Conclusion
Learning about dental fillings will enable you to be in control of your mouth. Whether you require a basic filling of a dental cavity or you are considering alternatives such as crowns and bridges or root canal treatment, finding the right dental care provider can be the difference between good and bad.
Carrum Downs Dental Group is a dental practice with a well-qualified staff that offers family dental care, including routine cleaning of teeth as well as emergency dental care. We provide any kind of tooth fillings with the latest techniques and materials to provide comfortable, long-term outcomes. Our patient-centred philosophy implies that we will take time to discuss your options and find the most appropriate treatment to meet your needs and financial resources.
Call Carrum Downs Dental Group now and book your consultation and receive skilled, painless dental treatment that helps maintain your smile over the years.
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Types Of Tooth Fillings And How To Choose The Best For Your Teeth