Latest Advancements in Dental Fillings

Dental fillings have improved over time and some of the latest advancements in dental fillings include a variety of esthetic bonding techniques to improve the look of the individual tooth. Dental fillings can be made of almost any material and currently include gold, amalgam and a number of tooth colored restorations. There have also been advancements in composites as different generations of materials are now available that are stronger and more translucent.

FILLING MATERIALS

Some of the filling materials that are currently available include gold and amalgam as well as tooth colored restorations like Empress or emax. Restorations are more indirect filling materials that require an impression that is sent to a lab to be made. There are also direct fillings where a composite is placed and bonded to the tooth.  Direct fillings do not require any waiting time while indirect fillings are sent off to a lab. However, indirect is stronger than direct since the lab can do extra treatment under pressure and heat to make it stronger.

There are a few items that go into the decision of which dental filling to use on a patient. They include:

• The size of the filling that the patient needs.
• The location of the issue in the mouth and the extent of the decay in the tooth.

DENTAL FILLING USES

The most obvious use for dental fillings is helping to eradicate decay, restore the tooth, and strengthen it. There are also more subtle instances where they can be used on a chipped tooth or repairing trauma to the tooth. In these instances, the tooth does not need a crown but it does need help removing jagged edges and restores the tooth. Overall, fillings are most commonly used to restore the tooth from a cavity and other issues.

LIMITATIONS

The big limitation of dental fillings is the size that can actually be used to restore a tooth. Basically, the bigger a filling is in the mouth, the more work the filling has to do. The bigger the filling needs to be, the more a dentist might consider going with a lab-processed composite onlay or inlay or a bonded emax or even a crown. The size of the filling being put in can limit the type of filling that can be used in the patient’s mouth.

Another limitation is the fact that nothing in dentistry lasts forever. The permanence of a filling is an important factor a patient should consider.  Putting a tiny filling on a front tooth generally lasts longer than a large filling on a back tooth where a person does all their chewing. A large filling in the back may last seven to ten years before it starts to show signs of wear and weakness. The smaller filling is not going to show as much wear and weakness.

SIDE EFFECTS

Any new dentistry in the mouth can be sensitive to anything cold. Patients getting fillings should be aware there might be some sensitivity for a few days to a couple of weeks after the filling is placed.

DOWNTIME

There really is not any downtime involved with the fillings. In fact, a direct composite is ready to chew on and hard before the patient leaves the dental office as opposed to some of the old amalgams that needed 24 hours to cure before being ready.

MAINTENANCE

The main things a patient can do are brush, floss, and limit their sugar intake. The next big thing is professional cleanings with regular checkups. That way, if a patient has something that is starting to fail, it can be addressed as a small thing as opposed to a long term problem that has not been addressed by a dentist. Early prevention is important in dentistry as well as medicine in general.

FINAL THOUGHTS

There have been a number of advances in dental fillings in the last few years. The type of filling placed in a patient’s mouth depends on the size of the filling necessary, overall damage to the tooth, and the aesthetic look that the dentist is trying to achieve. Patients should consult with an experienced dentist who can do an examination and determine the best treatment option for their dental needs.

Written by Cosmetic Town Editorial Team - MA

Based on an exclusive interview with Ben Sutter, DMD in Eugene, OR