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Types of Dental Fillings: Materials, Benefits, and Uses

Types of Dental Fillings: Materials, Benefits, and Uses

Tooth fillings are used to repair tooth decay, prevent further damage to a tooth and improve its appearance.

Table Of Contents

Tooth fillings are used to repair tooth decay, prevent further damage to a tooth and improve its appearance. The type of filling your dentist uses depends on the location and extent of decay, your dental insurance coverage and your aesthetic preferences.

Tooth-colored fillings are made of composite resin, a type of plastic and glass that can be matched to your teeth. Amalgam fillings, on the other hand, contain mercury – a liquid metal that is linked to several health issues including autism, Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis.

What Are Fillings Made Of?

Holes in teeth have been repaired with dental fillings Columbia SC for centuries. Early filling materials included melted gold leaves, silver, tin and copper which were hammered into holes in the teeth. Since the advent of modern dentistry and the dental profession, many different types of fillings have been developed.

Today dentists can use tooth-colored composite resin or porcelain to repair a cavity and make teeth look new again. They can also restore a tooth with an inlay or onlay made from gold.

Amalgam fillings are still widely used. This type of filling contains mercury mixed with silver, tin and copper. It is strong and hard wearing and can withstand considerable bite force, especially in the back teeth. It lasts for at least 15 years. It is less prone to chipping than other types of fillings, although it is not as good at repairing cracked teeth. Amalgam fillings are relatively inexpensive.

Amalgam Fillings

Traditionally used for over 150 years, amalgam fillings are made of a mixture of silver, copper, and tin with liquid mercury. Amalgam fillings are a cost-effective choice and offer excellent durability and resistance to wear and tear.

Dental amalgam is a durable, self-hardening mixture that is easy to work with and manipulate during placement. This allows dentists to restore the tooth quickly and efficiently, often in one visit.

Amalgam is a good choice for teeth that are not visible in the smile, such as back teeth. However, composite is a better option for front teeth where aesthetics are important. Additionally, amalgam fillings can expand and contract with temperature changes which may result in fracture of the tooth and leakage over time. The long-term exposure to mercury vapours from amalgam restorations is a concern for some patients. However, the amount of mercury released is significantly lower than the limits for workplace exposure and orders of magnitude lower than levels that cause long term health problems.

Composite Fillings

Composite dental fillings Columbia SC are made from tooth-colored resin material and can be matched to the natural color of your teeth. They are the preferred treatment for small to medium cavities and they allow dentists to remove less of your natural tooth structure when compared to other procedures such as amalgam fillings.

The procedure begins by numbing the area with a local anesthetic. Then using a drill, the decayed portion of your tooth is removed. Next the tooth is cleaned and dried and then etched to prepare for bonding. Then the composite is layered onto the tooth in layers with each layer being cured by a curing light before moving on to the next.

Some patients experience sensitivity in the treated tooth after having composite fillings, but this is usually short-lived and can be resolved with the use of sensitive toothpaste. There are also concerns that composite resin may contain BPA or other harmful substances, so it is important for patients to communicate any health or safety issues with their dental professional.

Crowns

Crowns are used to restore teeth with extensive decay or damage that cannot be repaired with fillings. Depending on your situation, there are several types of crowns.

Full metal crowns (PFMs) are made of a mixture of pure metals, which are blended together to create an alloy with the ideal physical properties for dental applications. They require the least amount of tooth structure to be removed compared to other types of crowns, and they resist biting and chewing forces well.

Indirect crowns — inlays and onlays — are made in a lab from an impression of your tooth, and they are cemented or bonded into place at a later appointment. They are typically more aesthetically pleasing than direct dental fillings Columbia SC and they offer more longevity because they are less likely to stain or debond over time.

Diane Smith

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