The application of dental fillings is the most common and popular procedure in dentistry. Using a filling, the dentist eliminates the infection and adjusts the shape and color of the tooth.
Types of Dental Fillings
It is worth saying that there is no universal method of filling. Although your dentist most likely uses photopolymer fillings, different fillings will be optimal in diverse situations and for various patients. A doctor needs to consider many factors: the presence or absence of allergies, direct indications, the patient’s willingness to pay for expensive material and service, and so on.
Fillings vary depending on the type of used material:
- Cement. In modern dentistry, it is rarely used. The main problem of the cement filling is the fragility of the material, which means a short lifetime. One of the advantages of using such a seal in the past was low cost. Cement also resisted the re-development of caries.
- Plastic. Low cost and unpretentiousness in the process of filling allowed this material to remain in favorites for some time. Today, plastic seals are rarely used because they have many disadvantages: plastic shrinkage during the drying process, quick color change, and wiping. Besides, plastic does not protect the tooth from repeated caries.
- Metal. The lifetime of this material is about 10 years or more. The filling contains silver and mercury or other alloys with mercury. Hence, the first disadvantage is that hazardous mercury creates certain risks for the patient. The second one is that to install a metal seal, you need an experienced specialist who can give the material the necessary shape as well as cool it. In modern dentistry, metal fillings are not popular.
- Photopolymer. An almost perfect solution, given the ease of installation and its maximum compliance with the natural color of the patient’s teeth. Such fillings are hypoallergenic. The dentist uses a halogen lamp that helps the filling harden faster. Further, the doctor gives the tooth the necessary shape and polishes the fill itself, preventing re-infection and splintering of the fill.
- Glass ionomer cement. It’s ideal for children because it contains 15% fluoride, which protects the tooth.
Don’t save on high-quality fillings; your overall health depends on the condition of your teeth!