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Treatment >> Dental Procedures >> Fillings
When you go for a check up, your dentist checks your fillings and may suggest that you replace any loose or broken ones. Your dentist also looks for signs of decay, such as brown or black spots and may want to use X-rays to take a closer look at problem spots.
If you have a cavity, your dentist may keep an eye on it (if it's small) or fill it right away. If a large cavity is not filled, it can get bigger and cause pain. The tooth may even have to be removed and replaced with a false (or artificial) tooth.
There are 2 type of fillings (1) Metal (2) Tooth coloured
Metal Fillings - Dental amalgam is the most common type of filling used in Canada today but other metal fillings may be appropriate depending on your oral health needs.
Tooth-coloured Fillings - Composite fillings and fillings made out of glass ionomer materials are the same colour as your natural teeth.
Metal
1. Dental Amalgam Fillings
Dental amalgam fillings are sometimes called "silver" fillings. They are the most common type of filling used in Canada today. Because these fillings are silver in colour, they are used to fill back teeth. They are a mix of metals such as mercury, silver, copper and tin.
- Advantages
- These fillings are the least expensive type of filling.
- They last a long time.
- They are easy to put in place; because they are a direct filling, one visit to your dentist will do the job, in most cases.
- Disadvantages
- The silver colour may not appeal to people who want a "natural" look.
- Tiny amounts of mercury are released from the filling when you chew. For most people, this bit of mercury is nothing to worry about. Studies have shown that amalgam fillings do not cause illness. They have been used on people for more than 150 years.
Tooth-coloured
1. Composite Fillings
Composite fillings are also called plastic or white fillings. Getting this kind of filling depends on where the tooth is in your mouth. We bite down hard on our back teeth (molars), so a plastic filling may not be a good choice. Talk to your dentist about other options.
To place this filling, your dentist cleans all decay from the tooth and puts a glue (or bonding material) on the inside of the hole. Composite resin is put into the hole in thin layers. Each layer gets hard with the help of a special light that your dentist holds over the tooth. When the last layer of the filling is hard, your dentist shapes the filling so it looks and feels natural.
- Advantages
- These fillings will be the same colour as your natural teeth.
- They cost less than gold fillings.
- They are direct fillings, so they can be done in one appointment, in most cases.
- Disadvantages
- This kind of filling can break more easily than amalgam or gold fillings, and may not last as long.
- Composite fillings cost more than amalgam fillings.
- Recurrent decay is more of a problem than with amalgam or gold fillings.
Reference : The official website of The Canadian Dental Association.
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