For several reasons, it’s crucial to take proper care of your dental and oral health. In addition to keeping your teeth as strong and healthy as possible, it also has a favorable effect on your general physical health. Unfortunately, incidents do occur occasionally that could harm your teeth. You could also develop an oral bacterial infection that can cause cavities and tooth decay.
Your dentist would likely suggest having some type of dental treatment to offset and restore your teeth’s healthy disposition. Dental fillings are a good treatment because they fill cavities that, if left untreated, could develop into major tooth decay, and weaken the tooth’s structural integrity.
Read on to learn more about what dental fillings are, the different types of dental fillings and common signs that you may need one or more fillings.
What Is a Dental Filling?
Over 90% of Australians have been affected by dental cavities at some point in their lives. Your teeth can develop tiny holes called dental cavities. Numerous things, such as bacterial infections, food, the mouth’s genetic make-up, and poor oral hygiene, might result in developing these holes.
Dental fillings can be compared to a patch of asphalt on the road that is your mouth. If roads are not adequately sealed, cracks that form over time may become potholes. To prevent them from getting worse and gathering trash and organic materials that could affect the structural integrity of the pavement, those cracks and potholes need to be filled with cement.
You can use the same principle while maintaining your teeth’s health. Teeth may suffer traumatic injuries from blunt force trauma or cavities from neglecting oral and dental hygiene.
What Are the Different Types of Dental Fillings?
Dental fillings and applications have evolved tremendously since they were first invented in the 1500s. Since then, there have been many developments in the field of dentistry that have produced a variety of dental fillings that are formed of different materials and have slightly varied functions. Dental fillings can now be customized to precisely match the size, shape, and color of your neighbouring teeth, which is one of the biggest and most significant advancements.
- Silver Amalgam Filling
Made of a combination of several metals, including silver, copper, mercury, tin, and zinc, silver amalgam fillings are known as such. They are highly resilient and, given the right care, can resist the constant pressure of chewing on various crunchy, hard, and chewy foods for at least a decade or longer.
Silver amalgam fillings were once the most used fillings in dentistry, but their use is gradually declining due to its obvious and unpleasant cosmetic drawbacks.
- Gold Fillings
Gold fillings are one of the most extravagant dental filling alternatives on this list and were once used to demonstrate elitism and luxury. Whereas the price and ostentation of gold fillings were once praised, they are now more offensive to most people who aren’t famous musicians or celebrities. Gold fillings are strong and long-lasting.
- Composite Resin Filling
Composite resin fillings, which can be customized to match the color of your teeth, are gradually overtaking amalgam fillings as the preferred dental filling material worldwide. Although composite resin fillings require more frequent replacements and are less long-lasting than conventional silver amalgam fillings, their appeal comes from the fact that they may be customized to closely resemble the neighbouring teeth. Nobody will notice that you’ve undergone dental work.
- Porcelain Fillings
Porcelain fillings is a more discreet method since they may be specially manufactured to match the color of the natural teeth on either side. They can also last up to 15 years with proper maintenance and are incredibly strong and adaptable. For the procedure, you might need to schedule multiple appointments for better results.
What Are Some Common Reasons That You May Need a Dental Filling?
Dental Filling is one of the most common aesthetic and corrective procedures carried out by dentists and by other dental health practitioners. And before performing the procedure, dentists would usually lookout for the following symptoms or reasons to determine whether a tooth-filling procedure is suitable for a patient. Below are some of the primary things that a dentist would lookout for before performing a dental filling procedure.
Fractured and Damaged Teeth
- Cavities
- Chipped or Broken Teeth
- Discoloration
- You’ve Lost a Filling and Need It Replaced
Need a Dental Filling? Book an Appointment at MS Dental Care
MS Dental offers Family friendly Regular and Emergency Dental Services in Cardiff, Singleton, Fletcher, and Mayfield. Our highly trained and experienced team is dedicated to ensuring that each patient enjoys the experience in our dental clinics as we always aim to build and maintain long-term caring relationships and trust with all our patients; every detail is covered carefully from the moment of bookings.
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