Dental Fillings
Do you want to restore your smile and make your teeth look like new? Who doesn’t… We have solutions! We can repair cavities, decay, cracks, chips and more with our amazing dental filling techniques that literally make your teeth look like new. Dental Fillings can restore your smile and leave you feeling amazing.
“We give you a reason to smile!”
Tooth Restoration Through Dental Fillings
Dental fillings are a restorative technique in dentistry like a dental bridge, dentures, or a dental crown, which allow for the repair of a tooth. There are multiple reasons why a dental filling will be recommended by your dentist, however, the following are the most common: Attrition, abrasion, or abfractions (word teeth), broken or chipped teeth, dental decay (cavities), esthetic reasons, change of color, closing excess space, recurrent caries, or replacement of failing fillings.
Materials Used in Fillings
Today, there are several options on how to restore your teeth, however, the two common materials used for dental fillings are described below. Your dentist will recommend which material is recommended for which form of restoration.
Amalgam Fillings
Advantages:
- Durable; long lasting
- Frequency of failure is low
- More affordable
- Resistant to further decay is high
- Self-sealing, minimal resistance to shrinkage and leakage
- Shorter procedure durations
- Wears well; holds up well to forces of biting
Disadvantages:
- Contact with other metals may cause an occasional, minute electrical flow
- Gray color (esthetics)
- In larger fillings, tooth may fracture
- May darken with time
- May experience temperature sensitivity due to the metal’s conductive properties
Amalgam Filling Procedure:
The initial step is to discuss which filling material is best for you. In this case, we will describe the case that amalgam is recommended due to dental decay (cavity). Once it is determined it is amalgam, the first thing Dr. Nima Mashhoon would need to do is make sure that the tooth is numb, so you can be as comfortable as possible during your treatment.
Once that has been established, the dental decay will be removed safely and efficiently. The tooth will be rinsed and re-evaluated to make sure all of the decay has been successfully removed. Once confirmed, the tooth will be isolated and the tooth will be retro-filled with amalgam.
The amalgam will then be condensed, shaped and polished to compliment the tooth’s anatomy (natural shape) and be comfortable to your natural occlusion (bite). The isolation material will then be removed and the patient will be advised to not chew on that side for roughly 6-8 hours, to allow the complete curing (hardening) of the filling(s) but also to allow the dental anesthetic to wear off.
After an Amalgam Filling:
On occasion, the tooth with the amalgam filling may experience temporary sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks. This is due to the metal properties of the material, being that it is conductive of temperature. This sensitivity will subdue in time. The tooth should be brushed and flossed as normal, however, it will be recommended to pull the floss out from the side rather than up, against the filling, to prolong the life and integrity of the filling. Most fillings are successful, however, if your filling is unsuccessful for a more permanent dental inlay or dental onlay may be necessary. Ask your dentist if you have any questions and maintain your regular visits.
Composite Fillings
Advantages:
- Does not corrode
- Frequency of repair and replacement is low to moderate
- Resistance to further decay is moderate
- Resists breaking
- Small risk for leakage
- Strong and Durable
- Tooth colored
Disadvantages:
- Composite material shrinks, which could lead to further decay and sensitivity
- May leak over time, which could lead to recurrent caries (dental decay)
- May wear faster than tooth enamel
- Moderate occurrence of tooth sensitivity
- Not as affordable as amalgam
Composite Filling Procedure:
The initial step is to discuss which filling material is best for you. In this case, we will describe the case that composite is recommended due to dental decay (cavity). Once it is determined it is composite, the first thing we would need to do is make sure that the tooth is numb, so you can be as comfortable as possible during your treatment. Once that has been established, the dental decay will be removed safely and efficiently. The tooth will be rinsed and re-evaluated to make sure all of the decay has been successfully removed.
Once confirmed, the tooth will be isolated. A dental material, dental etch, will then be applied to the area where the decay/structure has been removed to allow for the dental material, composite, to adhere to the surface. After being applied to the tooth for several seconds, the etch is rinsed off and the tooth is dried and once again isolated from any saliva and or liquids. It is crucial that the tooth remain dry throughout the procedure for a successful filling. A liquid, dental bond, is then applied where the decay has been removed, and a curing light is used to set (harden) that bond to get it ready for the composite material. Again, isolation is key to keep the surface dry.
An appropriate composite shade (color) is selected and the tooth is filled in incremental layers and light cured again. This step is repeated a few times until the tooth is filled to the appropriate level. The filling material is then shaped and polished to compliment the anatomy (natural shape) and be comfortable to your natural occlusion (bite). The isolation material will then be removed and the patient will be advised to not chew on that side until the anesthetic wears off.
After a Composite Filling:
On occasion, the tooth with the composite may become temporarily sensitive to hot and cold foods. This is due to the composite properties, and the minor polymerization (shrinkage) of the filling. This sensitivity will subdue in time. The area should be brushed and flossed as normal, however, it will be recommended to pull the floss out from the side rather than up, against the filling, to prolong the life and integrity of the filling. It will be important to maintain your regularly scheduled dental visits to ensure the shrinkage of the filling does not leave a gap for bacteria to accumulate causing decay and potentially leading to a compromised root. Ask a dental professional if you have any questions.
Amalgam Fillings
Composite Fillings
Advantages:
- Durable; long lasting
- Frequency of failure is low
- More affordable
- Resistant to further decay is high
- Self-sealing, minimal resistance to shrinkage and leakage
- Shorter procedure durations
- Wears well; holds up well to forces of biting
Disadvantages:
- Contact with other metals may cause an occasional, minute electrical flow
- Gray color (esthetics)
- In larger dental fillings, tooth may fracture
- May darken with time
- May experience temperature sensitivity due to the metal’s conductive properties
Advantages:
- Does not corrode
- Frequency of repair and replacement is low to moderate
- Resistance to further decay is moderate
- Resists breaking
- Small risk for leakage
- Strong and Durable
- Tooth colored
Disadvantages:
- Composite material shrinks, which could lead to further decay and sensitivity
- May leak over time, which could lead to recurrent caries (dental decay)
- May wear faster than tooth enamel
- Moderate occurrence of tooth sensitivity
- Not as affordable as amalgam
Amalgam Filling Procedure:
The initial step is to discuss which dental filling material is best for you. In this case, we will describe the case that amalgam is recommended due to dental decay (cavity). Once it is determined it is amalgam, the first thing Dr. Nima Mashhoon would need to do is make sure that the tooth is numb, so you can be as comfortable as possible during your treatment.
Once that has been established, the dental decay will be removed safely and efficiently. The tooth will be rinsed and re-evaluated to make sure all of the decay has been successfully removed. Once confirmed, the tooth will be isolated and the tooth will be retro-filled with amalgam.
The amalgam will then be condensed, shaped and polished to compliment the tooth’s anatomy (natural shape) and be comfortable to your natural occlusion (bite). The isolation material will then be removed and the patient will be advised to not chew on that side for roughly 6-8 hours, to allow the complete curing (hardening) of the filling(s) but also to allow the dental anesthetic to wear off.
Composite Filling Procedure:
The initial step is to discuss which dental filling material is best for you. In this case, we will describe the case that composite is recommended due to dental decay (cavity). Once it is determined it is composite, the first thing we would need to do is make sure that the tooth is numb, so you can be as comfortable as possible during your treatment. Once that has been established, the dental decay will be removed safely and efficiently. The tooth will be rinsed and re-evaluated to make sure all of the decay has been successfully removed.
Once confirmed, the tooth will be isolated. A dental material, dental etch, will then be applied to the area where the decay/structure has been removed to allow for the dental material, composite, to adhere to the surface. After being applied to the tooth for several seconds, the etch is rinsed off and the tooth is dried and once again isolated from any saliva and or liquids. It is crucial that the tooth remain dry throughout the procedure for a successful filling. A liquid, dental bond, is then applied where the decay has been removed, and a curing light is used to set (harden) that bond to get it ready for the composite material. Again, isolation is key to keep the surface dry.
An appropriate composite shade (color) is selected and the tooth is filled in incremental layers and light cured again. This step is repeated a few times until the tooth is filled to the appropriate level. The dental filling material is then shaped and polished to compliment the anatomy (natural shape) and be comfortable to your natural occlusion (bite). The isolation material will then be removed and the patient will be advised to not chew on that side until the anesthetic wears off.
After an Amalgam Filling:
On occasion, the tooth with the amalgam filling may experience temporary sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks. This is due to the metal properties of the material, being that it is conductive of temperature. This sensitivity will subdue in time. The tooth should be brushed and flossed as normal, however, it will be recommended to pull the floss out from the side rather than up, against the filling, to prolong the life and integrity of the filling. Most fillings are successful, however, if your filling is unsuccessful, a more permanent dental inlay or dental onlay may be necessary. Ask your dentist if you have any questions and maintain your regular visits.
After a Composite Filling:
On occasion, the tooth with the composite may become temporarily sensitive to hot and cold foods. This is due to the composite properties, and the minor polymerization (shrinkage) of the filling. This sensitivity will subdue in time. The area should be brushed and flossed as normal, however, it will be recommended to pull the floss out from the side rather than up, against the filling, to prolong the life and integrity of the filling. It will be important to maintain your regularly scheduled dental visits to ensure the shrinkage of the filling does not leave a gap for bacteria to accumulate causing decay and potentially leading to a compromised root. Ask a dental professional if you have any questions.
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