Dental Hygienist Salaries 2002 Article

The Different Types Of Dental Fillings

Fillings are the most common kind of repair work done on teeth that have cavities. The procedure is very simple. The dentist cleans out the cavity thoroughly and then fills up the cleaned cavity with a special filling material. This filling material, which could be porcelain, amalgam, composite resin or gold, seals the cavity through which the bacteria could enter the teeth, thus preventing any further decay of the tooth.

There is no one material that could be considered as the best one to be used as filling. Several factors need to be considered including the shape of the tooth, the reaction that you could possibly have to the chosen material, the location of the cavity and the extent of damage that needs to be fixed.

Gold fillings are considered to be the best, but this is an extremely expensive option as well. Gold fillings provide a good fit with the gums, are very durable and will last for a long time but they require a lot of visits to the dentist to complete this procedure.

Silver fillings are a cheaper alternative to gold and are also quite resistant. Silver fillings are darker in color and more easily noticeable than porcelain or composite fillings. Silver is definitely not the material of choice to fill up cavities in teeth that are highly visible such as the front teeth.

Composite fillings are very popular as they can be specially mixed to match the exact color and shade of your teeth. After mixing the composite material, it is directly placed in the cavity and left to harden. Composite fillings are long lasting but are not recommended for use in larger sized cavities.

Porcelain fillings have a very high resistance to staining of any type and can be made to match the exact color of your teeth. Porcelain fillings are a very high-priced option and could work out to be as expensive as fillings made of gold.

After doing a thorough check-up of your teeth, if the dentist decides that a filling needs to be done, he will discuss the various options available to you, depending on the location and size of the cavity to be filled. While deciding which one to choose of the available options, you need to take into consideration your budget as well as your insurance if you have one. Composite or porcelain fillings are most commonly recommended as you can get them to match any color or shade of teeth. Gold fillings are also quite popular but they are used only if the area to be filled is not highly visible because of the glaring color difference.

If a larger area of your tooth is damaged due to decay or a crack or cavity, a crown or cap may be needed to fix it. If your nerve is affected by the decay, what you would need is a root canal, which is an extensive procedure by which the dead pulp is removed.