Fillings

dental fillings

Protect your teeth from further damage with dental fillings

You only get one set of adult teeth, so why not protect them for as long as possible? Dental fillings, as well as inlays and onlays, are used to protect teeth that have suffered from decay or minor chips and cracks.

What are dental fillings for?

Dental fillings are used as a restorative option for decayed teeth. After the decay is scraped from your tooth, the space is filled with a composite resin material for a natural looking restoration.

How are dental fillings done?

The process for dental fillings takes two appointments.

First appointment

The first appointment is your consultation. This is where you will have you check-up and clean. Part of your check-up is having digital x-rays taken of your teeth. While sometimes decay is obvious to the naked eye, it’s always better to get a more detailed, accurate viewing with digital x-rays.

If decay is present on the x-ray your Dream Smiles dentist will advise what they think is the best course of action for your oral health. The advantage of a filling is that all the decay is removed and replaced with composite resin. This is advantageous because it can help to prevent the decay spreading and causing worse issues. These worse issues include infected root canal which—if left untreated—can lead to abscesses and other complications.

Second appointment

Your second appointment is where your dentist will clean the decay out of your tooth and be replaced with a composite resin. This material is colour-matched to your teeth so it will blend in. Which is another advantage of dental fillings. Especially of composite resin fillings. Not only are they effective, they look good and don’t have the draw backs of mercury fillings.

A light will be applied to the filling so that it hardens, and once this is done your treatment is complete.

Is mercury still used in dental fillings?

Some dentists still use mercury fillings. Dream Smiles does not. And while the debate is still going about mercury fillings, there is enough evidence to suggest composite resin fillings are a healthier, long-lasting option.

The established problem with mercury fillings are:

  • The mercury can stain your teeth.
  • Compared to composite fillings, mercury fillings require a lot more healthy tooth structure to be removed.
  • Decay can actually form underneath a mercury filling.
  • Mercury fillings expand and contract with vary temperatures—which has been known to cause cracked teeth.

These are just some of the reasons Dream Smiles prefer to provide our patients with composite resin fillings.

How long do tooth fillings last?

Composite resin fillings can last between 5 and 7 years. Like all restorative treatments, how well you take care of your oral health plays a role in the life of a dental restoration.

Keep your teeth healthy with dental fillings from Dream Smiles

It’s quite common for there to be no symptoms of tooth decay. If the decay’s severe you may notice some sensitivity to hot and cold food, as well as discomfort when you chew. Discoloured gums can be another sign something is not right beneath the surface.

By visiting Dream Smiles every six months for regular check-up and clean we can catch any problems before they become too big. For more information, or to request an appointment, contact us today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tooth-coloured fillings are preferred over old amalgam (silver) fillings for several reasons. They offer a more natural-looking, less invasive, and safer alternative to traditional silver amalgam fillings. Tooth-coloured fillings require less removal of healthy tooth structure, are durable, and can last as long as amalgam fillings. Additionally, they do not contain mercury, which is a toxic substance found in amalgam fillings. However, there are still situations where amalgam fillings may be the best option, such as for molars that receive heavy chewing forces. It is best to discuss your options with your dentist to determine which type of filling is best for your individual needs.

Tooth-coloured fillings are designed to blend in with the natural colour of your teeth, which means they will look very similar to your natural teeth. The composite resin material used in tooth-coloured fillings can be colour-matched to the shade of your teeth, making them virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding tooth structure.

Your dentist will carefully choose the appropriate shade of composite resin to match your natural teeth, taking into consideration factors such as your age, the colour of your teeth, and the location of the filling. They will also carefully shape and polish the filling material to ensure it looks and feels natural in your mouth.

In most cases, tooth-coloured fillings are virtually invisible once they are placed, making them a popular choice for restoring decayed or damaged teeth in a way that looks and feels natural.

Tooth-coloured fillings feel very similar to natural teeth, as the composite resin material used is strong and flexible. After placement, there may be some initial sensitivity to temperature, but this should go away quickly. They are also less likely to cause cracking or chipping of the tooth compared to traditional amalgam fillings. Overall, most people find tooth-coloured fillings to be comfortable and natural feeling in their mouth.