Dental Fillings
Fillings
Fillings are used to fill holes (cavities) that have formed, usually as a result of decay or tooth wear. There are many types of filling, each suitable for different cavities.
Most people have a local anaesthetic injection to completely numb the area while the filling is being done. The numbness can take several hours to wear off.
If you're nervous of having an injection, ask your dentist if you can have an anaesthetic gel applied to the appropriate area of the gum instead. This gel numbs the gum so you can't feel the needle.
The decayed and weakened parts of the tooth are removed using small drills and the cavity is cleaned. If the cavity has spread to the side wall of your tooth, a band will be placed around the tooth with a small wedge holding it in place. This ensures that the filling hardens into the correct shape.
To protect the tiny nerves and blood vessels inside the tooth, very thin layers of underlinings, such as resin, are sometimes painted inside the hole before the filling material is packed in. The filling will either begin to harden during the first few minutes or, for some materials, a blue light is used to make it set within a few seconds.
Sometimes temporary fillings are used, at emergency appointments for example, where there may not be enough time to do the full treatment. Temporary fillings can last for quite a long time, but they aren't very strong so you will need to arrange to have a durable filling placed within a few weeks.
Amalgam fillings
Amalgam fillings are made of a combination of metals including silver, tin, copper and mercury. Amalgam is extremely durable and able to withstand the grinding and chewing of your back teeth over long periods of time.
Tooth-coloured fillings
You can choose tooth-coloured fillings to match the colour of your teeth, making them a natural-looking alternative to amalgam fillings. They are often used in teeth that show when you smile or talk. They aren't as durable as amalgam and so aren't always suitable for the grinding and chewing surfaces of the back teeth.
There are a few different types of tooth-coloured filling materials. The most common are called composite and glass ionomer. They are soft and can be moulded to the shape of a tooth before they harden. Tooth-coloured filling materials stick to teeth so they can be used to build up the edges of chipped or worn teeth.
Composite shrinks very slightly under the blue light. This can pull on the tooth and may cause sensitivity. It can also produce a tiny gap between the filling and your tooth that may attract bacteria and lead to further decay. However, more modern composites have significantly reduced this problem in recent years.
Tooth-coloured fillings must be kept completely dry until they have set, so the dentist will take special precautions to keep saliva away from the area. This may include placing a sheet of rubber over your tooth (called a rubber dam). This only stays in place during the treatment.
Glass ionomers can release fluoride which prevents decay. They aren't very durable and are usually used for children's teeth, small back fillings or fillings on root surfaces.
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