Fillings
When you have a cavity in a tooth, the most common treatment option is a filling. Fillings are also placed on teeth that have been damaged in other ways including those that have been worn down due to nail biting or grinding, or those that have been chipped.
Your dentist will evaluate your need for a filling. Once it’s determined that a filling is the best treatment option, the dentist will discuss with you the various filling options that make sense for the damaged tooth. A number of filling options are available, and their differences center on the types of material used for each. Some are made with combinations of metals that can withstand a lot of chewing action. Others aren’t as strong and are good choices for small-sized cavities or cavities that appear in between teeth.
The most common type of dental filling and the type that’s been in use the longest is the amalgam filling. Its combination of metal elements including tin, silver, mercury, copper and others creates a dental amalgam that’s inexpensive to produce, extremely durable and easy to work with. It’s usually the perfect choice for filling cavities in molars because its silver color is not very noticeable and because it can withstand much chewing.
A composite filling is the color of a tooth therefore, it’s less noticeable. Made by mixing quartz or glass filler into a resin medium, this filling is perfect for smaller cavities and those cavities located in frontal teeth. The material is less durable than an amalgam filling, but it can withstand moderate chewing. Composite fillings cost more and they can be bonded onto the tooth.
An ionomer filling is a good choice when a cavity is located on a root surface. Made with glass powders and acrylic acids, the end result is a translucent filling that can also release fluoride.
What we dread most about the filling procedure is a toss-up between the shot of local anesthesia and the high-pitched telltale whine of the drill that is used to clean out and shape the cavity. Both can make a person shrink with fear and unfortunately, both are necessary. The various types of fillings each require a unique preparation process including use of different tools. When the filling is in place and properly affixed to the affected tooth, the final step is to polish the material.
It’s common to feel sensitivity in the area of the filling for a week or two after the procedure. Temperature, pressure, sweets and air can all cause the area to feel sensitive and avoiding these can be challenging, but try. If these feelings don’t go away, you should make another appointment with your dentist. If you can, pay attention to the discomfort you’re experiencing so you can accurately describe it to the dentist. The description will help the dentist decide how to proceed.
Most fillings will need to be replaced at some point because they will either fall out, or weaken, or discolor or crack. When one is ready to be replaced, talk with the dentist to learn the best option for replacing that filling.