Dental filling as the name suggests is the way to restore your tooth due to decay, trauma or fracture. There are various factors which contribute to the dental filling and help the dental filling to work.
What to Expect?
A dental filling is a procedure which usually takes an hour to get done. This one hour includes the time of X-Ray (if required) and discussion with your dentist about what type of filling to use. Once the final decision is taken about the filling, then your dentist begins with the procedure.
They will first numb the area of the filling. This is to calm the patients from getting a panic attack which people get because they are afraid of dental instruments and their usage in their mouth. the next step is to drill out the decayed material on your tooth. Once this is done the area becomes hollow and then there is a need for filling. The basis of your discussion with the dentist he will fill the area with the required dental filling. Sometimes the light is placed on the top of the filling to make sure that the bond is in the place and is intact with the enamel.
If it is for the broken or chipped tooth, then your dentist will first clean the area and make its disinfectant. After that, the infection will be replaced by the filling decided.
Once this is done your dentist will guide you as to how to take care of it post the procedure. Normally the only thing advised is not to eat anything for a few hours or minutes as the area is numb and the filling is new. Apart from that, there aren’t any further issues to be taken into consideration.
Types of Dental Fillings?
This is now by sure clear that today we have a lot of options as to the type of filling to be used, however, what will suit you best will totally depend upon the need and issue you are facing. This also depends on what kind of end result you are seeking.
There is a wide variety of dental fillings available today such as:
Amalgam Filling – This filling is a mixture of various metals such as tin, silver, mercury, and copper. This is the type of filling which is being used since quite long now. They are durable and are strong which extends its life up to 15 years. The major problem with such filling is that being made of metal this is highly visible and a good part of the natural tooth needs to be trimmed as it requires a large area to fill. Due to this reason people usually get this done for back teeth as they are hardly visible. Preferred choice due to cost as they cost way less than any other type of dental filling.
Composite Filling – These are the natural color filling which blends easily with your tooth color. If you want to get the fillings in a small area, then these are a suitable option available. These are a combination of glass and quartz and are a durable option.
Metal Fillings – The most commonly used filling, these are preferred by people since centuries now. These are highly durable and strong, as a result, are the most common choice of people. The major drawback of such type of filling is that they are highly visible making the appearance metal fitted. Under this, the gold filling is the most preferred even though it costs 10 times more than the silver filling. This is because Gold is the strongest and most durable metal for filling. It can withstand any amount of forces exert by chewing.
Ceramic Filling – These are also tooth colored filling and are more effective than the composite fillings in a way that they do not stain the teeth. They are made of porcelain and looks exactly like your natural tooth. The only concerning part is the cost. it costs way more than any other filing and is close to Gold fillings when it is about cost.
Care of Dental Fillings?
You might feel a little discomfort immediately after getting the tooth filling done for like a few hours. Post that everything will be back to normal. The reason for discomfort is the anesthesia which makes the area numb. You just need to carry on the regular oral hygiene routine and the rest will automatically be taken care of. In case you feel discomfort for long or your filling falls of then visit your dentist immediately. Do not, I repeat do not, in any case, try and get it fixed on your own.
Potential Problems with Fillings?
Though one will not face any problem with dental filling, yet it is advised to be careful and be prepared in case you come across any issue such as:
Infection – Sometimes a part of dental filling can go off creating a small space in the tooth. This small space can be breeding ground for bacteria. The bacteria will feed in these spaces and can cause further decay. In case you come across any such space being created on your filled tooth, then visit your dentist immediately.
Damage – It can sometimes happen that your filling has come off or has broken. This can happen in many instances such as you are biting hard food or material or while playing a sport. If you come across such damage, visit a dentist nearby as soon as possible.
