Fillings & Restorations
Fillings are able to restore your teeth by repairing damage and rebuilding the tooth to its original size by preventing further tooth decay. Cavities or holes in your teeth can cause pain or sensitivity depending on their size. This is why it’s advised that everyone visit their dentist on a regular basis. Small cavities are pretty easy to fix and at times do not even require local anesthesia and are quite cost-effective. As cavities get bigger, they become more complicated and more costly as well. The bigger the cavity, the closer it gets to the nerve or pulp of your tooth, which is located right in the middle of your tooth. That’s when the pain usually kicks in. If it’s left untreated, any cavity may it be big or small will cause long-term damage and pain to your teeth. The longer it's left untreated, the more destruction of your natural teeth occurs which can lead to extensive treatment being required, or even worse removal.
Types of Fillings
There are four types of filling materials available, such as composite, amalgam, gold, and porcelain. Each filling material type has its own unique properties, advantages, and disadvantages. The location and extent of the decay, cost of material, and dental recommendations all play a role in determining which filling will suit you best. Here’s a closer look at each material available:
- Composite Fillings - Dentists usually like to use teeth-colored composite fillings as they look natural and are safer than amalgam fillings. Some people like to change their old amalgams to newer-looking tooth-colored fillings. This is possible and is sometimes recommended by your dentist if your amalgam filling is breaking down or the tooth around the filling is cracking. It’s not necessary to have your amalgam filling replaced if they are healthy and you don’t mind their appearance. Composite fillings are the most popular style of choice. They are made out of composite resin, which is a combination of small particles of glass and plastic to give its durable finish and natural look. It comes in many different teeth shades and it's your dentist’s job to match the shade with your surrounding teeth to give it a natural look. Composite is applied and cured with blue light in layers. They are cured for every 2mm increment to make sure that they last long.
- Amalgam Fillings - Amalgam is usually referred to as “silver fillings” and is an amalgamation of different metal alloys such as silver, copper, and tin. The process of making an amalgam filling involved mixing the alloys in a machine in surgery. The material is freshly mixed it is soft and malleable which makes it easy to contour and press against the prepared tooth. Over the following 24 hours, it will harden to a strong enough consistency to allow you to successfully chew on it. Amalgam is strong and seems to last for a really long time, sometimes it may last up to 30 years. The thing with amalgam, however, is that the surrounding tooth usually cracks since the tooth cannot hold together very well. These types of fillings were the most popular in the older days, but given their unnatural appearance, they have fallen out of favor in recent times.
- Gold Fillings - This is the longest-lasting and most durable option and is used to make fillings called inlays and onlays. The gold mimics your tooth’s flexibility so your tooth won’t crack as it usually does with amalgam. Gold fillings are the most preferred by dentists since it is the gold standard. Sadly, they aren’t popular due to cost. Gold isn’t cheap but getting gold fillings will ensure that you get value for your money. The average lifespan of a gold filling is 15 to 20 years but gold fillings can last up to 50 years. When you decide to get gold fillings, your dentist will take a 3D scan of your prepared tooth, send it to a dental laboratory to fabricate your gold filling, and then attach it onto your tooth.
- Porcelain Fillings - Porcelain is also used to make fillings called onlays and inlays. This type of dental restoration is used when a large amount of the underlying tooth structure has been destroyed. It is also preferred over a massive resin filling. This is because a huge resin filling has a much shorter lifespan and doesn’t protect your remaining tooth structure from cracking, unlike how an onlay would. This technique is better than getting a crown because your teeth structure will be more intact and it can also strengthen a weakened tooth. A 3D scan of your tooth will be taken and will be sent to a dental laboratory for fabrication. It’s a 2 appointment process with a 2-3 week gap between appointments to allow for custom fabrication.
Risks and Benefits
Dental restoration does not only help you chew your food better, they also help you speak clearly and give you a better smile. They help you keep your teeth. The most common risk is sensitivity or general discomfort after the dental restoration procedure. Very rarely will you get an infection or have an allergic material to the metals used. Dental restorations have very few risks but crowns may become chipped or loosened. If you have deep cavities or delay getting your cavities filled, this can lead to root canals or tooth extraction. This is why it’s extremely important to reach out to your dentist right when you notice any problems with your teeth.
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Address: 5730 66th St,
Lubbock, TX, United States
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