What are fillings?

Dental fillings are essentially a restorative treatment. The filling process involves filling in the cavities created in the teeth due to decay. It is also sometimes done for aesthetic corrections.

Fillings are made of various different materials like composite materials, metals, alloys, and porcelain. Fillings are being made to match the exact shade of your teeth so that they do not look out of place. Metal fillings, also known as amalgam fillings, are considered the hardest type of fillings. However, these days, more and more people are opting for the composite material fillings as they match your tooth color and impart a natural look.

What are inlays?

An inlay is a restorative treatment for cracked or broken teeth when a filling does not suffice. Inlays are used for tooth that is not too damaged to require crowns.

An inlay is made of porcelain, gold, or composite resins. An inlay is typically applied to the chewing are of the tooth.

What are onlays?

Onlays are a type of inlays that cover more than one tooth. Onlays are spread over the chewing surface of multiple teeth.

Happy smiling!

What are fillings?

Dental fillings are essentially a restorative treatment. As the name suggests, the filling process involves filing in the cavities created in the teeth due to decay. It is also sometimes does for aesthetic corrections.

What are fillings made of?

Fillings are made of various different materials like composite materials, metals, alloys, and porcelain. Fillings are being made to match the exact shade of your teeth so that they do not look out of place. Metal fillings, also known as amalgam fillings, are considered the hardest type of fillings. However, these days, more and more people are opting for the composite material fillings as they match your tooth color and impart a natural look.

How long does a filling session take?

The time taken for fillings depends on the kind of tooth damage you have, the number of teeth affected, and the kind of filling chosen.

Is the filling process painful?

The filling process may be a little discomforting but it is not considered painful. Some people experience pain after the treatment. This pain may last for some time. You should take care of your teeth well after the filling treatment.

What are the precautions I should take after the filling?

You should follow a stringent oral care routine. Report to your dentist any sensitivity or pain immediately.

Happy smiling!

Cavity is the one word that no one wants to hear the dentist say. A cavity is created when a tooth decays or breaks down. It is a whole that can grow bigger and deeper over time which means that if you have a cavity, it is important to get it repaired.

How does your tooth get a cavity? Cavities are caused because of plaque which is a sticky, slimey substance made up mostly of germs. The bacteria in your mouth makes acid and when the plaque clings to your teeth, the acids can eat away at the outer layer of the enamel on your teeth.

If you don’t get it taken care of, the acids continue their way through the enamel and the inside part of your tooth begins to decay. This is when you tend to get toothaches because the decay has reached the nerve endings. Your dentist will examine your teeth and take an x-ray to see how far down it goes and then removes it with a special drill. When they remove all of the decay, they can then fill the hole with a specail filling material to protect your tooth.

Even though cavities can be fixed, the best bet is to try and avoid them by taking care of your teeth with these easy steps.

- Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day.

- Brush up and down in a circular motion.

- Gently brush your gums to keep them healthy.

- Floss your teeth once a day to remove plaque and food that is stuck between your teeth.

- Limit sweets and sugary drinks, like soda.

- See your dentist twice a year for regular checkups.

Tooth decay is a fairly common problem and probably the main reason that people end up in the dentist chair. Dentists find tooth decay by three different methods. Observation, Cavity-detecting dye and X-rays. Through observation, they poke and prode the areas that they think might have decay with a little metal tool called an explorer. Cavity-detecting dye is rinsed over the teeth and sticks to the decaying areas so that you can tell where they are.

Once a dentist finds out where they are, he has to get rid of the decaying areas and put in a filling to prevent further decay. First, he will give you a local anesthesia to numb the area if necessary. Then, he will use a drill to remove the decay from the tooth. Sometimes they use lasers and air abrasion to remove the decay instead. Once the decay is removed, he will prepare the space in the right shape for the the filling. Then he will fill it with some type of material depending on what type of filling you have agreed on. After the filling is put into place, your dentist will use burs to finish and polish the tooth. And presto! You have a brand new filling and no more tooth decay!

If you are going in to get one or more of your teeth filled, you will be faced with the choice between Dental Amalgam fillings and Cast Gold fillings. So how do you choose between the two and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of them?

Dental Amalgam Fillings

Dental amalgam fillings are the ones that are silver in color and are the most common type of filling used in North America today. They are mostly used to fill back teeth because of their color and are made of a mix of metals such as mercury, silver, copper and tin. Some of the advantages or these fillings are that they are less expensive than any other type of filling and they last for a very long time. Another great advantage is that they are simple to put in place which means that many times, it will only take one visit to the dentist to get them put in. One of the main disadvantages is the un-natural look that they have as well as the small amount of mercury that is released into your body.

Cast Gold Fillings

Cast gold fillings are made on a model of your tooth and are a mixture of gold, silver and copper. Because a cast gold filling is made in a dental lab and sent to your dentist to cement into your mouth, there will be at least two visits to the dentist. The first visit will be where the dentist cleans out the decay and make a mold of your tooth, filling the hole with a temporary filling. The advantage of the gold fillings is that it is stronger than amalgam, but the disadvantages are higher cost and longer wait times to get them put in.

To find out which type in filling will work best for you, read over the advantages and disadvantages of each type of filling and talk to your dentist. They work with both types of fillings all the time so they know best what will work for each person.

No matter how much attention you pay to maintaining your dental health, it is possible to lose a filling. In some cases, as strange as it may see, sometimes it is possible to lose a filling because you’re doing everything right - for example, while you are flossing your teeth.

Here’s the good news: in most cases, if you lose a filling, you’ll simply want to make an effort to call your dentist to set up an appointment as soon as possible. If your tooth hasn’t been affected by further decay, you’ll simply need to go into that appointment and have a new filling put into place. Worst case scenario, if there’s been additional decay under your filling, your dentist will have to prepare the tooth for a new filling.

In the meantime, clove oil applied with a cotton swab can help to numb any pain or sensitivity that you are experiencing. If a longer amount of time is going to pass before you can get an appointment of if you’re just looking for a way to prevent additional damage, you can pick up dental cement at most pharmacies; applying it to your tooth will allow you to seal the surface (your dentist can tell you more).

Traditionally, fillings have been used when there’s a cavity that’s caught by your dentist. Whether you choose an amalgam filling - the old style silver fillings that everyone is accustomed to - or a resin filling that matches the color of your teeth, fillings are used to stop decay and prevent it from getting worse.

Sealants, on the other hand are often used in cases where dental patients have grooves in their teeth (or deep cracks or simply recesses). Rather than waiting until decay starts, dentists use sealants to protect the teeth.

A dental sealant is applied as a liquid that will fill the cracks. The liquid is hardened using ultraviolet light, and as a result the cracks, grooves and deepened spots are no longer a place where food and bacteria get caught.

While sealants are not exactly an alternative to fillings, if you find that you have some “problem spots” and want to be able to avoid the dentist’s drill, you may want to talk with your dentist about whether or not they are an option for you.

A number of dentists have begun to express concern about traditional amalgam fillings, especially in light of Sweden and Norway banning them from use because they have been deemed to be unsafe - or at the very least, to pose a risk.

In their estimation, there are a number of reasons why amalgam fillings should not be used - and very few of those reasons are merely cosmetic - despite what some dental insurers say as a basis for their refusal to reimburse for composite fillings.

While it is true that resin composite fillings are made to match the color of the patient’s teeth, the goal isn’t only to keep patients from having to notice their fillings when they look in the mirror. For example, when composite fillings are used, it is easier to detect additional decay in a patient’s tooth.

While there is no certainty that there are health risks that you may face if you have traditional amalgam fillings, if you have concerns or you would like to have them replaced, the best thing that you can do is to talk with your dentist. Together you will be able to determine your needs and the best action to take relating to your fillings.

Amalgam fillings: though their use is far less common in recent years, a fair number of people over the age of 30 are likely to have amalgam fillings; they’re easy to spot: if you have a silver-colored filling, you’ve got them.

The problem is that not everyone knows just what amalgam fillings are:
(Source)Referred to in the industry as dental amalgam, mercury fillings are comprised of almost equal parts of elemental liquid mercury and an alloy powder composed of silver, tin, copper and sometimes smaller amounts of zinc, palladium, or indium

That’s right: amalgam fillings are made with mercury - the same element that leads to warnings about eating too much tuna and other fish, and the same mercury that used to be used in thermometers like the ones that fire departments collect in exchange for a newer, digital version.

So, should you have your amalgam fillings replaced? There’s some evidence that it may be a good idea:
(source)Scientific studies have shown that these fillings emit small amounts of mercury vapor, which some experts believe could be harmful to people’s health because they can inhale and ingest this vapor

In other words, you might want to take the time to talk with your dentist about whether or not having your amalgam fillings replaced is a good idea. Not only will clear fillings improve the look of your teeth - creating a more natural appearance - but also you may find that it has an overall positive effect on your health.

When it comes to fillings most people still think first of the traditional silvery amalgam fillings - but they aren’t as common these days as they once were. More and more often, dentists are using a bonding procedure to create white (tooth colored) fillings that don’t stand out when the patient smiles, laughs or talks.

Bonding is a process in which the dentist uses a resin to create the look of a “healthy” tooth after the patient’s actual tooth has decayed, cracked or been broken (by biting down on something hard, falling or being involved in some other accident).

Basically, it’s a procedure that’s done in a single visit to the dentist. The damaged part of the tooth is addressed and then a bonding agent is applied. The resin is placed on the repaired tooth, and then is shaped. Once sculpted, the resin looks natural, and your teeth and smile don’t show that the work has been done.

Bonding (and white fillings along with it) can be a great option, but it’s important to point out that the resin does wear over time. 5 years or more may pass, but eventually the resin will need to be replaced, so it’s important to talk it over with your dentist to see if it’s really the best option for you.