Tooth Filling

Tooth cavity filling allows restoring a tooth after the damage caused by decay. It turns the tooth its natural shape and allows usual functioning. The doctor will clean up the decayed space of your tooth and insert a tooth decay filling.

In case you omit the procedure of sealing, you risk having serious problems connected with bacteria, infection and different complications. Be conscious of these issues and consult your specialist to receive the best piece of advice. Tooth filling is also helpful in repairing a broken or cracked tooth.

If the affected surface of the grinder is not large, this type of restoration will be perfect. If the case is serious, the dentist may insert a temporary tooth filling until your next visit. You may need more than one visit to the dentist. The long-term seals will be placed only during your last appointment. In order pieces of food and bacteria did not stick in the cavity of your tooth, the specialist will have to make a changeable stopping. Having a problem with the tooth nerve, you will also face placing of temporary seal. It will give time to the nerve to “calm down” in case the pulp is irritated.

Do not expect this kind of seals to last long. They are temporary, therefore you will have to change them, otherwise they will crack, fall out or wear out with the course of time. Infection and other complications menace your tooth if you do not address your specialist in time for replacing the temporary seal into the permanent one.

Get Wise to Filling a Tooth

There are several tooth filling types. At any case, the dental practitioner will use a sedative. Then the decay will be removed with the help of:

• a drill
• a laser
• an air abrasive instrument.

The instrument choice depends on the office, dentist’s training and comfort level. Besides, it is the extent of the decay and its location that matter.

Next, the professional will prepare the cavity for the filling. Debris and bacteria will be cleaned out of the cavity. The next step includes placing the stopping and waiting until it hardens. Finally, the doctor will polish the surface of the sealed tooth.

In case you are having a seal developed to coincide with the colour of your tooth, a few more steps will be required. After cleaning the cavity, the dentist will apply a special tooth-coloured material in layers. Then he will use a special light for hardening and “curing” the layers. After this process, the dentist will give the composite material the desired shape, remove the needless material and polish the seal.

Various dental fillings materials are available nowadays. The material choice depends on the damage your tooth has faced with, allergies you may have and the size of your wallet. Consult your dental practitioner and find out which type of sealing material will be determined as the best one for you.

1. Gold fillings. Their durability lasts up till 20 years. The fillings are developed in a laboratory and cemented into the mouth cavity. The procedure connected with gold fillings requires lots of visits and is the most expensive one. Tooth temporary filling will be used until the procedure is over. There are patients that prefer shining with gold in their mouth than having silver restoration seal. Here everything depends on your taste, notion of aesthetics and wallet. If have you already received silver plombage and are eager to have the golden one placed right next to it, you may have galvanic shock. You will feel a sharp pain because of the irritation between these two metals and saliva.
2. Silver fillings. This kind of fillings is resistant to weariness. It lasts from 10 to 15 years. Besides, it is not that expensive as golden or composite kind of plombage. The worst thing is that silver fillings are very noticeable. You will not like having them in your front teeth. The doctor will have to remove a large healthy part of your tooth in order to place this type of stoppage. Moreover, the surrounding area of the tooth will gain a grayish shade. Keep in mind, that about 1% of people are allergic to the mercury present in silver seals. Some people claim that this matter causes such diseases as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer and autism. Though, lots of public health bodies, the ADA and the FDA insist that this fact has not been proven. There are plenty of facts proving that the reasons of these diseases are unknown.
3. Composite resin. This is a tooth coloured filling that provides a natural appearance. The ingredients are placed into the tooth cavity. They harden there. Though, this type of fillings is not advised for large cavities, because the fillings can chip with the course of time. Tobacco, tea and coffee stain composite resins, so they won’t be as durable as other types of fillings.
4. Porcelain fillings. They are onlays and inlays created in the laboratory. These feelings match the colour of your tooth. Moreover, they are resistible to staining, so their colour will not fade or become dark. You will wear them for at least 15 years. The price goes somewhere near to the cost of golden fillings. Sometimes patients complain about pain after tooth filling. If you feel pain while biting, go back to your dentist and have the shape of your filling changed. The decay may have reached too close to the pulp. Then the patient can have a toothache warning that the tissue has problems with health. In such a situation your dental practitioner will recommend root canal therapy. If you feel pain on other teeth, besides the filled one, it is a so-called referred pain. The pain signals sent by the filled tooth will pass in 1-2 weeks. The patient can feel pain while consuming sweet, cold or hot foods and drinks as well as while breathing cold air in. Such sensitivity will pass within a short period of time. Simply try not to consume products causing sensitivity. Take proper care of your filled teeth. Regular dental procedures with fluoride toothpaste and antibacterial rinse will serve you well. If your practitioner says you need to change the stoppage, do not let grass grow under feet (or, in our case, under your teeth).

Silver or White Fillings?

Many people having a decay cavity or a loose tooth filling ask what kind of fillings is better: white or silver. This question should be answered by a patient himself. As it was mentioned before, there are issues connected with aesthetics, allergies and durability. Besides, the price of these two kinds of sealing differs greatly. The first right question to ask should be “how much is tooth filling?”

On one hand, silver sealing is definitely cheaper, but the dark material that fills the tooth will be seen in your mouth cavity. This material will influence the colour of the healthy part of your tooth as well. Silver fillings in the front teeth look more than just non-aesthetic. On the other hand, white fillings want more from your wallet, but they look naturally. Actually, you may try all kinds of sealing material on your teeth and decide which one is the best for you, but do you really need the whole colour palette in your mouth? White plombage material is able to cover all issues with durability, strength and colour. Even though its price may be higher, don’t be penny wise and pound foolish.