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What is a tooth filling?
Dental fillings can be essential towards ensuring that you have normal tooth function in the event that one or more of your teeth have become decayed. There are a large number of different fillings that can be used, based largely on personal preference.
Don’t Delay Treatment
Dental fillings are substances used as a means of repairing and restoring a damaged tooth. These fillings help to restore a tooth back to its normal shape, appearance, and function. Not only does a filling help to repair a tooth that has been damaged by decay, but it also assists in preventing further decay in the future, which is why these fillings can be highly beneficial and save you a lot of time and money in the future.
Types of Fillings
There are a wide range of materials available to use as dental fillings, each of which have their own advantages that you should be aware of. These fillings include:
Amalgam fillings
These are basically silver fillings that are heavily resistant to standard wear and tear. Since these fillings are darker, they are typically used with side teeth or ones towards the back of the mouth that are less visible.
Composite resins
These plastic fillings are designed mainly be appear as natural as possible, which means that they will match the color of your teeth. While still liquefied, the ingredients are mixed and placed directly into the cavity. Once this is done, the composite hardens. These fillings are best used with smaller cavities.
Gold fillings
These fillings are cemented into the decayed area and are generally used because of the fact that they are tolerated very well by gum tissues.
Porcelain fillings
These fillings are referred to as inlays and onlays. They match well with the color of your teeth and are highly resistant to staining.
What a Dental Filling Procedure Entails
A dental filling procedure begins with the administration of a local anesthesia so that the area immediately surrounding the tooth will be numbed during the process. We will then cut into the enamel so that any of the decayed tooth can be removed. The hole will then be prepared for the filling. If the filling is a bonded one, the tooth will then be etched with acid gel. For a selection of these fillings, a resin might also need to be placed on the surface of the tooth, which will then harden once placed.
The next step is the placement of the filling, which takes mere moments to complete, no matter the type of filling you’ve selected. Once the filling has been placed and is secure, the tooth will be polished so that it looks as clean and natural as possible. The procedure is a very quick one. In fact, fillings tend to take around 15 minutes per tooth. If you’ve recently suffered from a cavity and would like your tooth to function normally once more, call us at Southland Dental Care and we’ll schedule an appointment for you.
