Which Material Is Good for Use in Dental Fillings?

Jun 02, 2022

Various materials such as gold, silver amalgam, composite, ceramic, and glass ionomers help make dental fillings to treat tooth decay and damage. All materials are excellent to restore teeth damaged by corrosion or breakage. If you are recommended dental fillers near you for a cavity, it is best that you allow the dentist to recommend the optimal filling material for your hole.

Although the materials mentioned above are helpful to fill cavities in teeth, some fillings are better suited to specific situations. For example, if you take your child to the emergency kids dentist in Colombia complaining about a toothache and the dentist discovers a cavity, they recommend tooth-colored composite fillings for your child to ensure the filler doesn’t impact their smile.

Your specific situation, the location of the cavity, the extent of the damage, and your budget are factors that the fillers dentist in Colombia, SC, considers when recommending any specific filling material for your tooth damage.

Filling Materials Explained

  • Gold Fillings:Gold fillers are incredibly durable, non-corrosive, and last for 15 years or longer with proper care. Unfortunately, they are the most expensive than other materials and require two dental visits for placement
  • Silver Amalgam Fillings:Although not aesthetically pleasing, silver amalgam fillings are also durable and sturdy. These fillers are more likely to expand and contract than other fillers causing a tooth to crack. Additionally, many people worry about the long-term safety of silver amalgam fillings because they contain mercury, a neurotoxin.
  • Composite Resin Fillings:If you have a cavity on your front teeth, you will likely want to maintain the appearance of your smile. In such cases, composite resin fillings resembling the color of your teeth are an attractive option. Tooth-colored fillings can be closely matched to the shade of your teeth to remain unnoticeable in your mouth. However, tooth-colored fillings are more expensive than silver amalgam.
  • Ceramic Fillings:porcelain helps make ceramic fillings providing an aesthetically pleasing option with added durability. Unfortunately, the price of ceramic fillings is higher than silver amalgam, and the fillers can wear the opposing teeth when the ceramic roughens.
  • Glass Ionomers: alternatively called acrylic fillings, these fillers last for fewer than five years. However, they are an excellent choice for children with developing teeth. Glass ionomer fillings also release fluoride helpful for preventing tooth decay.

Are Fillers Useful Only against Cavities?

When dental fillers were created, the primary objective of dentists was to restore teeth damaged by tooth decay. Cavities create permanent damage in your teeth, requiring restorations with appropriate material to ensure the bacteria doesn’t create more damage.

You might think a cavity is insignificant and doesn’t require attention until it causes pain or other complications. However, are you willing to wait until the bacteria get to your dental pulp and bring upon you the need to undergo root canal treatments and have your tooth restored with a dental crown? If you are willing to go through intensive procedures and discomfort besides the expenditure, no one on this planet will stop you. However, if you consider the impact of your lack of understanding of the need for dental fillers create on your overall health, you will undoubtedly consider dental fillers a godsend and decide to have them soon after your dentist detects a cavity in your tooth.

Earlier metal fillers were the only materials available to restore cavities. However, with advances in dentistry and the discovery of composite resin, dentists can currently repair and fix broken and chipped teeth in a procedure called dental bonding.

Broken and chipped teeth become breeding grounds for bacteria to feast on the food particles trapped in them. When left untreated, the bacteria on the chips and cracks eventually penetrate the tooth enamel to create additional damage. Therefore if you have a broken or chipped tooth, you can seek help from Dr. Mouna Bosler to restore the appearance of your teeth and smile in a conservative and straightforward procedure of dental bonding where the professional applies tooth-colored composite resin over your teeth and hardens it with ultraviolet light.

Whether you need dental fillers for yourself or your kid, the better option is to trust your dentist to recommend the best material for the dental filler. Always seek help from facilities like Kids First Dental — Columbia if your kid needs dental fillers for their teeth.

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