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Dental Fillings
Dental fillings are a type of restorative dentistry treatment. Dental Fillings are used to repair cavities or fix minor chips and cracks in your teeth.
Other names for dental fillings include:
• Tooth fillings.
• Cavity fillings.
• Dental restorations. (This term refers to a range of treatments that restore teeth, like fillings, inlays, on lays, bridges and crowns.)
Types of dental fillings
There are many different types of dental fillings. But they all fall into one of two categories: direct or indirect.
Direct fillings
Direct fillings are placed in your mouth without the need for a dental laboratory or temporary restoration. A direct filling only requires one office visit.
Common materials for direct fillings are:
• Amalgam (silver in color; contains mercury mixed with silver, tin, zinc and copper).
• Resin composite (tooth-colored; consists of a resin base with powdered quartz, silica or glass).
• Glass ionomer (tooth-colored; made of silica glass powder).
Indirect fillings
Most indirect fillings require two office visits — one to take dental impressions and another to place your restoration. If your dentist uses CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing) technology, they may be able to create and place your indirect filling in a single appointment.
Inlays and onlays are two common types of indirect fillings. They are used when a tooth has too much damage to support a filling but not enough damage to warrant a dental crown. An inlay or onlay fits into your existing tooth structure like a tiny puzzle piece.
Common materials for indirect fillings include:
• Gold (gold in color; contains gold mixed with other metals like silver, tin, copper or palladium).
• Porcelain (tooth-colored; contains a mixture of minerals like feldspar, quartz and kaolin).
Benefits
Dental fillings treat existing tooth decay and reduce the risk of future damage. Depending on the type of filling, they can also:
• Strengthen weakened teeth.
• Preserve your natural tooth structure.
• Restore chewing function.
• Enhance the appearance of your teeth.
• Last for a long time (10 to 20 years).
Risks
After a dental filling procedure, it’s normal to experience minor teeth sensitivity and gum soreness in the area. These side effects are temporary and should go away in a week or two.
Complications that may require additional treatment are less common, but may include:
• A throbbing toothache. This could mean that decay reached your tooth pulp. You may need root canal therapy.
• Pain when biting down. This type of pain can occur if your new filling interferes with your bite. Your dentist can fix this by reshaping your filling.
• Pain in response to heat or cold. If you have intense pain that lingers after something hot or cold touches your tooth, it might mean the nerve inside your tooth is damaged. You may need a root canal or tooth extraction.
Can I eat after a filling?
Technically, you can eat or drink whatever you want as soon as your procedure is over. It won’t damage your new filling in any way. But waiting until the numbness wears off can keep you from accidentally biting the inside of your cheeks. If you do eat right away, chew slowly and be mindful.