Teeth fillings are used to treat a cavity. The dentist will remove the decayed portion of the tooth and fill the area where the cavity once lived. The function of filling is to repair cracked or broken teeth and the teeth that are worn out due to misuse. The dentist will first numb the area around the teeth that is to be filled with a local anesthetic. Next the decayed area is removed by a drill or using an air abrasion instrument or laser. The dentist will test the area to make sure that the decay has been removed. The dentist will prepare a space for filling in the tooth by cleaning the cavity and bacteria. Finally the dentist will prepare a composite material to fill the space, remove the excess material and polish the final restoration.
Composite resin filling:
It is made from a mixture of powdered glass and plastic resin which can resemble similar to a natural tooth. It can be used for filling small and large areas especially for the front or visible parts of teeth.
Amalgam:
It is a metallic filling material made up of a mixture of mercury and powdered alloy materials such as silver, tin, zinc and copper. Amalgam fillings are cheapest and they have a silver coloring. This is a metal which expands and contracts with hot, cold. They are usually filled in the back chewing teeth.
Glass Ionomer cement:
This type of filling is a mixture of glass called fluoroaluminosilicate and organic acid. It is used for filling in front teeth, around the neck of teeth and roots. It is suitable for people with lot of decay in the part of the tooth that extends below the gum.
Cast Gold:
This filling is made from gold mixed with other metals. It is expensive than other fillings and doesn’t corrode. It can be used for filling inlays, onlays and crowns.
Ceramics:
It is commonly made of porcelain and costs as much as gold or even more. They are tooth colored and resistant to staining.
A good quality and suitable dental filling material used for filling the decayed tooth will ensure less dental problems in future.