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Fillings To treat a cavity, Dr. Muruga will remove the decayed portion of the tooth and then "fill" the area on the tooth where the decayed material once lived. Fillings are also used to repair cracked or broken teeth and teeth that have been worn down from misuse (such as from nail-biting or tooth grinding). |
What Steps Are Involved in Filling a Tooth ? First, Dr. Muruga will numb the area around the tooth to be worked on with a local anesthetic. Next, a drill, air abrasion instrument or laser will be used to remove the decayed area. The choice of instrument depends on Dr. Muruga in the particular piece of equipment as well as location and extent of the decay. Next, Dr. Muruga will probe or test the area during the decay removal process to determine it all the decay has been removed. Once the decay has been removed, Dr. Muruga will prepare the space for the filling by cleaning the cavity of bacteria and debris. If the decay is near the root, Dr. Muruga may first put in a liner made of glass ionomer, composite resin, or other material to protect the nerve. Generally, after the filling is in, your dentist will finish and polish it. Several additional steps are required for tooth-colored fillings and are as follows. After Dr. Muruga has removed the decay and cleaned the area, the tooth-colored material is applied in layers. Next, a special light that "cures" or hardens each layer is applied. When the multilayering process is completed, Dr. Muruga will shape the composite material to the desired, trim off any axcess material and polish the final restoration. What Types of Fillings Materials Are Available : Today, several dental filling materials are available. Teeth can be filled with gold, porcelain, silver almalgam (which consists of mercury mixed with silver, tin, zinc, and cooper), or tooth-colored, plastic and glass materials called composite resin fillings. However, at Tropicana Dental Surgery, we are only offer for Tooth-colored and composite resin fillings only based on our highest interested from the patients. Advantages of Tooth-colored composite fillings : 1. Aesthetics - the shade/color of the composites can be closely matched to the color of existing teeth, is particularly well suited for use in front teeth or visible parts of teeth. 2. Bonding to tooth structure - composite fillings actually chemically bond to tooth structure, providing further support to the tooth. 3. Versatility in uses - in addition to use as a filling material for decay, composite fillings can also be used to repair chipped, broken or worn teeth. 4. Tooth-sparing preparation - sometimes less tooth structure needs to be removed compared with amalgams when removing decay and preparing for the filling. What's Temporary Filling and Why Would I Need One ? Temporary fillings are used under the following circumstances : 1. For fillings that require more than one appointment - for example, before placement of gold fillings and for certain filling procedures (called indirect fillings) that use composite materials. 2. Following a Root Canal Treatment(RCT). 3. To allow a tooth's nerve to "settle down" if the pulp became irritated. 4. If emergency dental treatment is needed (such as to address to toothache). Temporary fillings are just that, they are not meant to last. They usually fall out, fracture, or wear out within 1 month. Be sure to contact Dr. Muruga to have your temporary filling replaced with a permanent one. If you don't, your tooth could become infected or you could have other complications. How Should I Care for My Teeth With Fillings ? To maintain your fillings, you should follow good oral hygiene practices - visiting our TDS regularly for cleanings, brushing with a fluoride-containing toothpaste, and flossing at least once daily. If Dr. Muruga suspects that a filling might be cracked or is "leaking" (when the sides of the filling don't fit tightly against the tooth, this allows debris and saliva to seep down between the filling and the tooth, which can lead to decay), Dr. Muruga will take X-rays to assess the situation. If your tooth is extremely sensitive, if you feel a sharp edge, if you notice a crack in the filling, or if a piece of the filling is missing, call to TDS for an appointment. |