Probably the most commonly carried out dental treatment is the filling. These are used to restore a tooth that has suffered from some damage or where a cavity has formed due to tooth decay. We will look at other options for these situations shortly but, for now, will focus on the two main options available for filling a tooth; namely amalgam or white composite fillings.
These were first used to fill a tooth around the early 1800s, so, as you can see, they have been around for a very long time. There are good reasons for this. Amalgam is a very strong filling material that will withstand a lot of pressure and wear and tear; even on the rear teeth that do a lot of the chewing etc.
While providing a strong solution to this problem, amalgam is also a dark colour and that distracts from our smiles. Even on rear teeth, amalgam fillings can be seen if we yawn or smile, and on front teeth, they are all too easily seen. This is not the only issue though. Amalgam has some practical as well as aesthetic issues. One of these is that amalgam does not adhere particularly well to the natural tooth. In order to securely place them then, the cavity has to be shaped so that the amalgam is firmly in place. This often requires removal of more of the natural tooth than we would ideally like.
Some people also have an issue with the fact that amalgam contains mercury, a toxic material. This has been declared safe for use in teeth fillings by the relevant dental bodies and that patients should not be concerned about this. Some also claim that amalgam fillings pick up radio signals but this has been widely debunked and is now only usually claimed by those who believe in conspiracy theories!
In summary then, while amalgam does provide an excellent level of strength, it is not ideal and an increasingly popular solution that we provide at our Edinburgh dental practice, may provide a better solution.
As the name suggests, these fillings that we provide at the 103 Dental and Implant Practice provide a much better aesthetic solution for filling a tooth. They have been around for a while, but earlier versions were found not to offer sufficient strength, especially for larger fillings. This is no longer the case though and white composite fillings are now considered to be almost as strong as amalgam. In situations where this might not be the case, such as very large cavities of the rear teeth, amalgam may still be used, or, where applicable, for a more aesthetically pleasing solution, crowns, inlays or onlays.
In most situations then, white dental fillings can be used. These are made from resin based materials and no metals are used in the process. The composite material can be adjusted to match the colour of the tooth that is due to be filled.
Unlike amalgam, white fillings bond well with the natural tooth and less of the tooth therefore needs to be removed. Another advantage is that while amalgam shrinks over time, leaving tiny gaps around the filling that bacteria can enter and lead to further decay, white fillings don’t do this.
The most obvious reason that most people have these fillings though is that they look entirely natural and will be ‘invisible’ to most people. While sometimes classed as a cosmetic dental procedure, they also provide a practical solution for restoring a damaged or decaying tooth.
For more significant issues such as large cavities or badly broken teeth, crowns can sometimes be used to provide a natural appearance and more strength. These are often used to complete a root canal procedure, for example. To fit these, a tooth needs to be shaped and the crown attached using a special adhesive.
There are a couple of other filling options that we will mention while we are discussing these. The first of these are gold fillings. These are naturally very strong but also very noticeable. Some people have them for this very reason, but the reality is that gold dental fillings are expensive and few people choose to have them.
Finally, there are GI fillings (glass ionomer). These are rarely used for filling a tooth though as they are too weak for general use. They are more likely to be used to protect a non biting area such as the neck of a tooth and also provide additional fluoride too. These are used for special purposes only though and you may well never come across these yourself.
Our Edinburgh New Town dentist offers practical solutions that also help your smile to look as attractive as possible, and our white composite fillings are just one example of this. If you would like to find out more about any of our treatments, whether restorative or cosmetic, we are happy to help. Simply call the 103 Dental and Implant Practice today on 0131 608 3219.
