Dental Filling
A dental filling is a dental procedure which is used to restore a decayed tooth, and bring it back to its normal shape and function. Before giving you a filling, the dentist first removes the tooth decay, and cleans out the cavity. Decay removal is done with the help of a dentist’s drill or air abrasion unit, or even a laser, and may or may not require local anesthesia. Once the tooth is cleaned of any remaining bacteria or particles, the cavity is filled with the filling material of your choice: gold, porcelain, amalgam, or composite resin.
You can find many dentists who offer this procedure at an affordable cost. What’s more, they can also make suggestions for taking preventive care of your teeth and gums to ensure their health.
More about filling materials
A number of materials can be used for dental fillings. Your choice of material should take into account the many advantages of the different materials, cost and insurance coverage, the location of the tooth, and the dentist’s suggestions.
- Gold fillings – Gold fillings are costly and require multiple visits as these are custom made in a laboratory. However, these are highly compatible with gum tissues and long-lasting.
- Amalgam fillings – Though these fillings are inexpensive and do not require more than one visit, unlike gold fillings, they stand out due to their color and so, generally not used for front teeth.
- Composite Resins – The main advantage of composite resins as filling material is that it can be matched to resemble your natural teeth color, and so is suitable when the damaged tooth is in a visible area. However, this type of filling is prone to faster wear, chipping, staining, and don’t last as long as gold or amalgam fillings.
- Porcelain fillings – Porcelain fillings are costly and require a minimum of two visits. They are customized to your natural tooth’s color and shape before being fitted to your tooth. They are also termed porcelain inlays or onlays, and usually cover the entire tooth. An advantage of porcelain fillings is that they are stain resistant. They can, however, get chipped or broken if proper care is not taken.
Fillings are the first course of action when you have tooth decay. However, if the damage is extensive and treatment is delayed, then one may have to go for a root canal treatment, and a crowning of the tooth. These treatments are expensive, and require multiple visits. As such, it is better not to neglect tooth decay, and get a filling done to contain the damage. If you reside in Mississauga, Ontario, there are many excellent dental clinics that you can visit to take care of all your dental issues.
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