Fillings For Dental Cavities In Witham

October 14, 2024
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Filling a tooth is one of the most common treatments that we carry out, but what types of materials are used?

If you manage to go through life without needing to have a tooth filled, you are one of the fortunate few. Even with a good teeth cleaning routine and regular check ups at our local dental clinic, the sugar that we consume on a daily basis sometimes finds its way into the tiniest of places and starts the process of tooth decay.

While patients may not enjoy having a filling, these can be kept to a minimum and, when necessary, as small as possible, by having your teeth checked regularly at Blake Dental in Witham. This allows us to check for problems such as cavities in their earlier stages, avoiding the need for larger fillings or even crowns or extractions.

Let us take a look then at the type of filling materials that are available for us to use.

Amalgam

First used in Europe in the early 1800s, it is fair to say that amalgam fillings have become established as one of the most widely used types of tooth filling materials. There are many good reasons for this. It is a very strong material and durable too, lasting for approximately ten to fifteen years. It is also one of the least expensive materials currently available.

Despite this, people are gradually turning away from amalgam for a number of reasons, and, restrictions of one of the materials used in it, namely mercury, being allowed to enter the environment probably means that its use will dwindle even more.

The main concern about amalgam for most people though is simply the fact that it is a dark material and therefore highly visible. Especially when used on a tooth that is visible when you smile or laugh, this becomes a problem aesthetically. Amalgam also requires a cavity to be shaped to hold the amalgam in place as it has poor adhesive qualities and will also shrink over time, sometimes leaving tiny gaps where bacteria can collect and tooth decay occur once more.

White tooth fillings

Gradually starting to replace amalgam as the filling material of choice are white tooth fillings. These are made from a combination of plastic resin and fine glass particles. The most obvious benefit of this for patients is that it is much less visible and can be adjusted to match the colour of the patient’s teeth, rendering the filling almost invisible.

While earlier versions were less strong than amalgam, advances mean that it is now almost as strong although alternatives such as inlays/onlays or crowns may be preferable for larger cavities or, for example, in a rear tooth which comes under a lot of stress from biting and chewing.

Another advantage of these fillings is that they have very good bonding capabilities which means that less of the natural tooth needs to be removed in order to place a filling. Unlike amalgam, it will not shrink, meaning that the tooth has better protection against further decay.

Gold fillings

We won’t spend long on this particular filling as it is the most costly and probably only for a few people due to its high visibility. Having said that, gold tooth fillings have been used successfully by pop stars etc to β€˜improve’ their image and, to be fair to them, it is also a good quality filling.

Gold is very strong and even more durable than amalgam, however, anyone considering having a tooth filled in this way may be looking in the region of Β£1000, give or take a few hundred, depending on the size and complexity of it. For most people, the alternatives offer a perfectly good solution at a much reduced cost.

Glass ionomer

Finally, a brief look at glass ionomer fillings (GI fillings). These are not likely to be used where any strength is needed such as on a biting surface. It is made from acrylic and a certain type of glass. It is a weak material but can be useful for protecting non-biting areas such as where the neck of the tooth has been exposed near the gum line or damaged. It also releases fluoride into these areas helping to protect them more. Unfortunately though, this material is prone to cracks and fractures and most patients will never have this filling for general restoration where decay has occurred.

While this blog shows that there are a number of filling options available to our Witham patients, dentists are in the best position to decide on what would be the most appropriate one to use for your own situation. Naturally, we will discuss this with you and in some cases, the type used will come down to not only the practicality of using it but aesthetics and cost too.

Our dentists are always happy to help patients have treatments that not only restore a damaged or decayed tooth but also to help them have the best smile possible. With the use of our restorative and cosmetic treatments, we do our best to help you have a healthy mouth and a great looking smile.Β  If you are new to the area or looking to change your dentist, or simply want to make an appointment with us, please call Blake Dental today on 01376 501688 to discuss this with us.

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