Dental Tooth Fillings Calgary
We've all had to deal with a cavity or two. When you have a cavity, you'll need a filling. A dental filling is used to protect the rest of the tooth. Any type of hole in your tooth puts it at risk for disease and decay. When you get a filling, you let your tooth heal and keep your mouth healthy.
What is a dental filling?
A dental filling is a compound that fills in holes in your tooth. There are three Tooth Fillings: metal, cast gold, and tooth-coloured. Both materials do the job of filling in exposed areas of the tooth.
Metal fillings are made of what is called dental amalgam. Amalgam is typically made of liquid mercury, silver, tin and copper. They are a long-lasting and durable filling. Metal fillings will last, on average, 20 years. The downside of metal fillings is that mercury is used in these fillings. They aren’t the first filling we’ll recommend to our patients.
Cast gold fillings are another filling you can get. They are called cast gold fillings because they are cast to your tooth’s shape. The cast gold filling is also long-lasting and more durable than the metal filling. However, unlike metal and tooth-coloured fillings, cast gold fillings require two appointments versus one appointment for the others. Finally, we have the tooth-coloured filling. This is a term used for three types of tooth-coloured fillings. The three types are composite, porcelain, and glass ionomers.
Composite fillings are made using a powered glass or silica substance combined with dental resin. These fillings are commonly used in ones closer to the front of your mouth. We avoid using this filling on your back teeth as it can crack more easily than metal or cast gold.
Porcelain fillings are made from porcelain. They are typically white in colour, blending into your teeth much easier than a metal filling. Porcelain fillings are long-lasting and blend into the teeth more easily. However, porcelain fillings require two appointments instead of one.
Glass ionomer fillings are made from resin and substances like calcium. They are made to be long-lasting. A benefit of glass ionomer fillings is that they contain fluoride to help tooth decay. A downside to these fillings is that they are relatively new, so there isn’t much information on how long they last.
All fillings have pros and cons to them. With the materials, some fillings will cost more than others. It’s also best to talk to your dentist about which filling will be best in terms of the area where your cavity is located. For a filling on a molar, it’s best to go with a metal or cast gold filling, as it’s more durable than a composite filling.
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Do I need a filling?
Fillings are used when a tooth has some form of damage, like a cavity. Cavities make your teeth more sensitive to hot and cold temperatures and sweet foods. Another way to tell if you have a cavity is if there is mild to sharp pain when you bite down.
You can look in the mirror to see if your teeth have brown or black spots; this is usually an indicator that you may have a cavity. It’s always best to consult your dentist if you have cavities.
How does a filling work?
A filling works by filling the space in your tooth. A cavity is a hole in your tooth, meaning your tooth is more vulnerable to damage. When you come in for a filling, we'll sit down and thoroughly examine your teeth. This check helps us determine the filling we will use on your cavity.
Once we've identified the areas that need to be filled, we'll get started on the actual fillings. We'll use a more durable filling material for fillings near the rear of our mouth. Teeth-like molars are used most when chewing, so fillings in the molars need to be strong.
We'll also consider if you would like your fillings to look more natural. Metal and cast gold fillings will not look tooth coloured. Composite, porcelain and glass ionomer fillings are tooth coloured.
After we've selected the fillings, we'll begin the process. We'll administer a local anesthetic as we'll need to clean out any debris or decay in the tooth before we apply the filling. Once the tooth is clean, we'll use the filling. We'll cure composite fillings under a bonding light and then polish them to blend them into the tooth.
Metal and cast gold fillings will need two appointments. First, we'll take a mould of the tooth to create the filling. You'll be fitted with a temporary filling while the final product is being made. We'll bring you in for your last appointment and fit you with the final metal or cast gold filling.