Written By: Dr Anitha Anchan | Updated : August 6, 2013 12:21 PM IST
When you have a cavity in your mouth, your dentist may suggest you get it filled. He or she may also suggest fillings for your chipped or abraded teeth. Don't know what to expect? Well, your dentist will first drill your teeth and then fill it! Your dentist will prepare the tooth by eliminating the decay and/or contouring the tooth cavity with a dental hand-piece. If tooth preparation is restricted to the enamel layer, there is no pain during the procedure. If it extends to the dentin layer beneath, you may feel some sensitivity.
Dental fillings are used to fill the missing tooth structure due to decay, chipping or wearing down from improper brushing, nail-biting or tooth grinding. They restore the function and structure of the teeth. Once your tooth has been prepared by drilling your dentist may fill it with a silver filling. Don't like that nasty black filling on your teeth? Worry not. You can choose from a variety of tooth coloured fillings!
Fillings can be temporary or permanent, direct or indirect. Sometimes where many fillings are needed all teeth may not be filled immediately with a permanent filling in which case a temporary filling may be done to stop the progression of decay. It may also be done in instances like immediate relief from a toothache, indirect fillings that require multiple appointments, after a root canal treatment, soothing an irritated pulp, etc. These fillings do not last for long. They should be replaced with a permanent one.
In direct filling, the soft filling material is placed into the prepared tooth and built up according to the shape of the tooth before it sets hard on its own or by blue light. It is usually done in a single appointment. Since it is directly placed, built up and let set while in contact with the tooth, there is restricted pressure that can be applied in order not to damage the tooth. Silver amalgam, composite and glass ionomer cement are some of the materials used for direct filling. Larger fillings require more pressure. Hence direct fillings may not be the best choice in such cases.
In indirect filling, the filling is fabricated outside of the mouth and then bonded permanently to the tooth with dental cement. Your dentist will take the impressions of the prepared tooth and send it to a lab technician for fabrication. In the meantime the prepared part of the tooth is filled with a temporary filling. Indirect fillings are done for large cavities wherein the teeth have not enough structure left to support the fillings. They are stronger and last much longer than direct fillings. They are done using gold or ceramics. Inlays and onlays are the two types of indirect fillings. Inlays fill the tooth within the tips (cusps) on the chewing surface of the tooth. Onlays are more extensive. They cover one or more cusps of the tooth.
Different types of materials are used for tooth fillings. They vary in strength, durability and aesthetics. Here are some of them:
