What is a Cavity Filling?
Dr. Andre Eliasian is a Dentist practicing in Glendale, CA. Dr. Eliasian specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating diseases and conditions associated with the mouth and overall dental health. Dentists are trained to carry out such treatment as professional cleaning, restorative, prosthodontic, and endodontic procedures,... more
People can suffer from many oral problems, the reason behind this can be improper care of their oral health. As a result, this can cause cavities and other troubles with oral health. A cavity can be identified as a common consequences of poor oral hygiene, and can be painful. This occurs when the hard surface of our teeth becomes damaged and the damage forms into a hole. A cavity can also be called tooth decay that often takes place due to bacteria. Bacteria will emerge from improper care of the teeth and eating unhealthy foods. Some of the symptoms of cavities include discoloration of the tooth’s surface, visible openings in the teeth, moderate pain at the time of eating or drinking, general tooth pain for no reason and sensitive teeth.
Cavity Fillings
When someone experiences these symptoms, they should not wait or hesitate to see their dentist. The dentist will most likely have to fill the cavity to fix the problems with the teeth. Cavity fillings are when the oral health practitioner fills the hole in the tooth with the help of some tooth-like material. The process is fairly simple and straightforward and the patient is expected to be at the dentist’s office for about an hour. The dentist may need X-rays of the inside of the mouth. Before the process of filling cavities begins, the dentist will first numb the teeth and some surrounding parts of the gums.
After that, they will remove the decay and clean the affected area. In the end, the cavity or the hole will be filled with the chosen material. With the help of a cavity filling, the holes through which bacteria can enter and cause further decay is closed. This will stop the damage to the patient’s teeth as long as he or she continues to take good care of their teeth.
Types of Cavity Fillings
There is a range of options available for cavity fillings. The dentist may use gold, silver amalgam, tooth-colored composite material, porcelain, and special types of glass, however, every material has its pros and cons.
1. Amalgam fillings have been considered as one of the longest-used materials by dentists for cavity fillings and prove to be strong. That’s why it is ideal for filling cavities in chewing areas like molars or the backside of the mouth. There are some metallic elements in the amalgam fillings and they can be seen when a person smiles. But one of the good things about amalgam or silver fillings is that they are the least expensive.
2. Composite fillings are created from a mixture of plastic-type materials and are best suited for mid-sized cavities in teeth that perform a good amount of chewing. One of their advantages is that they can be customized to be the exact color of the patient’s natural teeth.
3. Porcelain fillings can also be identified as inlays and onlays. Similarly to composite fillings, they can also be matched to the color of the tooth. The cost of porcelain fillings can be comparable to gold fillings and they have a tendency to resist staining.
4. Cavity fillings can also be done using metals like silver amalgam or gold, both of them are common metals for this procedure. However, there is a huge difference in terms of the cost of both these metals as gold filling are more costly than silver amalgam fillings. It is said that the life of metal fillings can be stretched up to 10-15 years.
5. Glass ionomer cavity fillings are less durable in comparison to other types and have a short lifespan of only five years. It is a type of composite filling and discharges fluoride to safeguard the teeth.
Any of these fillings can be applied for someone who will be undergoing a cavity filling. The most important thing is to have good oral hygiene after the filling. This means that he or she will have to brush at least two times a day and floss at least once a day. Also, you should visit the dentist twice a year for regular check-ups. If there is a presence of any other oral health problems, the dentist will identify and try to solve the issue. Make sure to manage a healthy diet and avoid foods that are sticky or hard in nature as they can dislodge the filling. You will feel some discomfort some days, but if you feel sensitivity, see a visible crack in the filling or if part of the filling has been missed, call the dentist.
