White Fillings

When decay has eaten away at the tooth a hole remains. The dentist needs to fill this hole produced by the decay, a ‘filling’ is thus placed. Today there are basically two types of filling, ’silver’ fillings and ‘white’ fillings. There has been much bad publicity regarding silver fillings as they contain mercury, a toxic substance.

White Filling – Composite

Difference between metal and white fillings

These materials are used in the front of the mouth or for smaller fillings on the molar teeth. They are available in many shades which allows the dentist to match to the tooth which is being filled. This may be a disadvantage in back teeth as it is difficult to see what is part of the tooth or part of the filling material later should the filling need to be removed.

These fillings may cause teeth to be sensitive afterwards as they shrink when during setting. This causes the walls of the tooth to be pulled in and held in tension. The join to one wall may break leaving a microscopic gap which bacteria may invade. Later this may cause more decay if the diet is not controlled.

White Fillings – Glass Ionomer

These are the other type of white fillings. They are not as nice looking as composite as they have large bits of glass in them which produces a rough texture. The main advantage of these materials is that they release fluoride which helps prevent decay. This makes them popular for fillings in childrens teeth.

These materials tend to be used for small back fillings, fillings in childrens baby teeth and fillings on root surfaces.

Temporary Fillings

Patients often attend the dentist at short notice or without appointments. If a patient has lost a filling or in pain, a temporary filling material allows the dentist to rapidly place a restoration which will protect the tooth from hot drinks, cold air and bacterial invasion.

Some temporary dressings contain ‘oil of cloves’ which is an obtundant effect. This means that it desensitizes the nerve so that it is less sensitive.

It is a misconception that a temporary filling will last only a short time. One material called ‘Poly F’ can last well over a year and is stronger than many of the white filling materials.

The disadvantage of these materials is that they don’t look much like enamel, having a appearance similiar to that of polyfilla.

Source: Dental Wisdom