FILLINGS

When you visit your dentist to get a filling:

you may be given local anesthesia to numb the area if necessary.
Next, your dentist will remove decay from the tooth, using a drill. Lasers also can be used to remove decay. A drill, which dentists call a handpiece, uses metal cones called burs to cut through the enamel and remove the decay. Burs come in many shapes and sizes. Your dentist will choose the ones that are right for the size and location of your decay.
Once all the decay is removed, your dentist will shape the space to prepare it for the filling. Different types of fillings require different shaping procedures to make sure they will stay in place.
Your dentist may put in a base or a liner to protect the tooth's pulp (where the nerves are). The base or liner can be made of composite resin, glass ionomer, zinc oxide and eugenol, or another material.
You can replace old, broken-down amalgam/metal fillings that contain traces of mercury with white fillings (composites) to restore your smile and teeth to a more natural look and feel and ad to your health.

Comparing White Fillings vs Silver Amalgam Fillings: 

White fillings bond to the tooth; they strengthen the tooth by restoring most of its original shape. Silver amalgams, on the other hand, weaken the teeth and make them more susceptible to breaking. Broken teeth can be very expensive to replace; white amalgam can actually save time and money in the long run. White filling composites are preferred by most patients.

This is due to the natural color, strength and overall appearance and feel. Composites are naturally more comfortable. Hot and cold sensitivity is greatly reduced with composite material compared to the silver/mercury amalgams.

Restorations with composites require less removal of tooth, less structure to place than those with amalgams and especially with new cavities. Dramatically smaller holes are needed with a composite. White fillings are healthier because no traces of mercury are used, unlike silver amalgams.


FILLINGS | TEETH WHITENING | Clinics | DENTAL



FILLINGS