Filling
What is a filling?
Once decay has taken hold in a tooth, it will continue to damage more and more of the tooth, becoming more painful until treated by a dentist. Aesthetic filling is a chance to restore lost dental tissue and maintain your natural smile. Aesthetic filling is performed when teeth are carious, fractured, worn down also in some case this filling can fill up spaces between teeth or fix a minor misposition tooth. Fillings can be made of a number of different materials and can be used to repair any tooth in the mouth. The material can also use for filling small gaps between teeth and do minor re-shape / re-color to your teeth (direct veneer).
What is the procedure?
First and foremost, thanks to modern anesthetics and the way they are administered, getting a filling is virtually painless. Your dentists will start by numbing the tooth and the area around it, and then removing any decay with either a drill, air abrasion unit or a laser. The objective is to leave as much sound, natural tooth structure as possible. The cavity will then be disinfected and dried before a filling material (usually composite resin) is put in place. Once the material has hardened, the dentist will shape it to look and feel just like a natural tooth.
Fissure seals
Sometimes the pits and fissures on the back teeth are so deep and almost impossible to keep the surface clean with normal brushing. Deep pits and fissures can be a preferred area for bacteria to grow and form cavities. The dentist may apply a dental sealant, commonly known as a fissure seal, to fill the pits and fissures and act as a barrier to plaque, bacteria and food debris.
Products used:
- Aesthetics — the shade/color of the composite fillings can be closely matched to the color of existing teeth. Composites are particularly well suited for use in front teeth or visible parts of teeth.
- Bonding to tooth structure — composite fillings actually chemically bond to tooth structure, providing further support.
- Versatility — in addition to use as a filling material for decay, composite fillings can also be used to repair chipped, broken, or worn teeth.
- Tooth-sparing preparation — Since the retention of a composite filling is obtained chemically, unlike an amalgam filling, it does not require a lot of tooth structure removal
How long does a filling last?
Fillings are situated in a warm, wet, bacteria-filled environment and are placed under constant stress and movement. Despite this, the average life of a filling is about 12 years. Sometimes things go wrong and a filling may crack, break or even fall out.
After care
When a filling has just been placed, it’s advisable not to eat or drink until the anesthesia has worn off. This can take from one to three hours. Sensitivity to hot and cold drinks may occur for a few days after the procedure. Composite resin is completely cured by the time you leave the dental surgery. As soon as the anesthetic has worn, you are able to eat, chew and drink as normal. If you experience any pain or the new filling simply doesn’t feel right, see your dentist immediately.
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