When you are going to the dentist, chances are that you’re going to need a filling at some point. So below is an explanation of the different types of filling materials and their advantages and disadvantages.
Fillings Made of Cast Gold
Advantages:
- Durable – They’ll last a minimum of 10 – 15 years, many times longer. They won’t corrode.
- Strong – They are able to withstand chewing
- Looks – Sometimes patients choose them because they’re nice to look at and they prefer them over the silver fillings.
Disadvantages:
- Expensive – They are more costly when compared to other materials and their price can be as much as 10x the cost of silver fillings.
- More office visits – Will require a minimum of two visits to place.
- Galvanic shock – When a gold filling is put beside silver fillings patients might feel sharp pain. This is called galvanic shock. The interaction of the saliva and the metals sometimes causes electric currents to happen. This is rare, though
- Appearance – For some people, they’d prefer that others don’t know that they have a filling and they want the filling to look like their teeth.
Amalgams or Silver Fillings
Advantages:
- Durable – They last a minimum of 10-15 years and usually will outlast tooth-colored fillings.
- Strong – They can withstand the force of chewing
- Expensive – Though not as expensive as gold, they are still costlier when compared with composite.
Disadvantages:
- Appearance – The silver fillings are apparent when they are in the teeth.
- More of the Tooth’s Structure is Destroyed – A tooth’s healthy parts often need to be removed in order to have enough space for the filling.
- Discoloration – These fillings often make the surrounding tooth’s structure to look to have a hue that’s greyish.
- Fractures and Cracks – Even though every tooth expands and contracts when it’s exposed to cold and hot liquids, which often cause teeth to fracture or crack, this type of material, when compared with other types of fillings, can experience a lot more incidences of fractures and cracks due to contracting and expanding.
- Allergic reactions – There are some people who are allergic to these types of fillings since they have mercury in them. This percentage is very small, though, about 1%.
Tooth-colored Composites
Advantages:
- Aesthetics – The color or shade of the filling is able to be matched closely to the patient’s existing tooth’s color. They’re usually suited well for fillings on front teeth or when it’s visible.
- Bonds to the Structure of the Tooth – This type of filling chemically bonds to the tooth’s structure and provides more support.
- Versatility – Along with being great for filling material, it also can be used for repairing worn, broken or chipped teeth.
- Helps Spare a Tooth – Sometimes this type of filling will require less removal of the tooth’s structure when compared with the amalgam fillings when decay is removed and the tooth is replaced for filling.
Disadvantages:
- Not as Durable – These types of fillings will wear out quicker than the other types of fillings. They will last as long as five years or more when compared with 10-15 years. They also aren’t as strong when they’re being used for chewing, especially when they’re used for huge cavities.
- Increased Time in the Chair – Due to how long it takes to put the composite on, these kinds of fillings often take as much as 20 minutes more time than other types of fillings.
- More visits – If you’re using a composite for an onlay or inlay, you may need to go back to the dentist more than once.
- Chipping – Based on the location, this type of material can chip off your tooth.
- Expensive – These types of fillings are often up two double the price when compared with amalgam.
Along with composite, tooth colored fillings, there are two other kinds of fillings that are two tooth colored – glass ionomer and ceramics.
Other Types of Fillings
- Glass Ionomer – This is made of a certain kind of glass and acrylic. This is often used for fillings in children and under a patient’s gum line. It still needs to be drilled. These release fluoride and they help with protecting teeth from decaying further. But this material’s weaker when compared to composite resin. Its also more prone to fracturing and wearing. They last up to five years and the price is comparable with composite. But the newer ones usually last longer and when they are put in the right areas, they’re equal with composites.
- Ceramics – These fillings are often made from porcelain and they’re much more stain resistant than composite. However, they’re also a lot more abrasive. This type of material usually last longer than 15 years, but they’re often as expensive as gold.
These are the types of materials that you can choose from when you are getting a filling. Think about their advantages and disadvantages and then choose the one that’s best for you.
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