Even if you brush and floss every day to avoid cavities, decay can occur. Cavities, fortunately, are simple to treat. Dental fillings are used to repair the structure of decayed teeth.
However, not all dental fillings are created equal! They are made of various materials, some of which are more beneficial to your mouth than others. What are the best and worst types of dental fillings Melbourne CBD, and which should you choose for your mouth?
In this blog post, we will discuss the various types of dental fillings to help you make an informed decision about dental fillings and its cost.
More information is provided below.
Dental Fillings Melbourne CBD, Types of Dental filling, Cost of Fillings
Dental Fillings Melbourne CBD, Types of Dental filling, Cost of Fillings
There are many choices for dental “fillings” – the material used to restore your teeth when or if you get a cavity.
A dental fillings is designed only to ‘fill’ a cavity and to seal off further invasion by bacteria. Advances in technology, as well as shifting priorities for consumers, have driven preferences for different materials.
Ideally, dental filling material should have the following qualities, in order of importance:
- Dimensional stability (doesn’t change shape over time)
- Physically strong (is able to resist wear and breakage)
- Cosmetically appealing (looks like a tooth)
I think it’s important to know the differences between the types of filling materials. That way, if you need a restoration, you’ll understand how each material will behave, how long it will last, and how it will look.
For many years, dating back several generations, a silver amalgam dental fillings has been the most recommended dental fillings. The main advantage of silver amalgam is that it lasts much longer than other types of dental fillings, though the increased dependability comes at a higher financial cost.
Furthermore, silver amalgam does not blend in as well with natural teeth as composite resin. As a result, it is frequently best suited for less visible teeth that can withstand more pressure. Silver amalgam, are slightly less expensive than some other options.
Composite resin is a white or tooth-coloured filling material. It can be used for both front and back teeth fillings. It is commonly used to repair broken or decayed teeth as well as for cosmetic dental procedures such as veneers.
The best feature of a composite resin dental fillings is how well it blends in with natural teeth. As a result, composite resins are excellent choices for dental fillings on the front teeth or any tooth that is highly visible to others.
The disadvantage of a composite resin dental fillings is that it may not be able to withstand as much constant pressure as a silver or gold dental filling, but it is still very reliable and should last for many years before needing to be repaired or replaced.
Bonding is the process by which composite fillings are glued to the surface of the tooth. Because composite resin is bonded to the tooth’s surface, composite fillings require less tooth structure to be removed. This means that composite resin fillings can preserve more natural tooth structure.
The material’s colour can be matched to the colour of the tooth being fixed. When the colour is well-matched, the filling may not be visible to others looking.
Porcelain inlays are distinct from other dental fillings materials in that they are more durable than composite resin and have a more natural appearance than gold or silver dental fillings.
Furthermore, porcelain inlays may necessitate more than one dental visit because they fabricated by a dental lab. The first appointment entails preparation and temporary filling. The second appointment entails cementation. While porcelain inlays are slightly more expensive than other options and more difficult to apply, they may be the best dental fillings material available and are highly recommended by many dentists.
Before the introduction of dental porcelain the best restorative material was gold. It has similar qualities to porcelain, in that it’s very stable and very strong. However as the price of gold increases each year, it is expensive to manufacture.
Unlike Silver or White fillings, gold restorations have to be done over two appointments and are made by a dental technician. It is used when really high strength is required.
Gold tooth fillings, as the name implies, are made of gold, making them one of the most durable fillings available. However, gold fillings, like gold jewellery, are extremely expensive when compared to other types of fillings. This may be the best filling option for patients who prefer a gold aesthetic on their teeth on areas at the back of the mouth where it will not be highly visible.
If properly cared for, it can last the longest among the rest of dental fillings and can last up 3 decades or more. You only have to replace it twice your lifetime. If durability is your main concern, this will be the best dental filling material for you.
These dental fillings are made of a glass-acrylic composite material. As a result, it is a very weak filling and should not be used to fill tooth surfaces used for chewing or biting, such as molars and incisors. As a result, dentists prefer glass ionomer for fillings below the gum line or if the cavity is very deep and the tooth might benefit from the healing properties of this dental fillings material. One interesting fact about glass ionomer fillings is that they gradually release fluoride, which aids in the strengthening of the tooth structure around the filling.
They are best used as an interim dental filling materials.
Fissures are natural grooves found on the top, biting surface of the back teeth. These grooves can be both shallow and deep. This can result in food and bacteria becoming stuck.
When food and bacteria become stuck in the grooves repeatedly, it increases the risk of tooth decay developing.
A Pit and fissure sealant is a thin layer of dental filling material that is applied to the tooth grooves. It is done to keep food and bacteria from getting stuck in the grooves and to reduce the likelihood of tooth decay developing.
In children and teenagers, fissure sealants are most commonly used in the grooves of the back adult molar teeth. Other teeth may require fissure sealant treatment as well. Typically, the filling material is white or clear. For added protection, the filling material may contain fluoride. The use of your teeth can cause the fissure sealant to wear down over time.
Several types of dental fillings can now be used to fill cavities thanks to advances in dentistry. Your preferences, budget, timeframe, health concerns, and the location and severity of your cavities will all help you choose the best dental filling for your teeth.
Many people prefer tooth-colored fillings over silver fillings or gold fillings because they can be made to match the color of the surrounding teeth. If aesthetics are important to you, consider porcelain fillings or composite fillings for restorations that are closely matched to the color of your teeth. Porcelain Fillings are more expensive than Composite white fillings as it require 2 appointment and it incur a lab fees but it is more durable than Composite.
Dental amalgam fillings are less expensive than other types of fillings due to lower material costs.
If money is an issue and you don’t want amalgam fillings, composite fillings are the next most cost-effective option. They do, however, only last five to ten years, as opposed to 15 to 20 years or more for porcelain.
Some patients choose to have dental work done in preparation for a special occasion, such as a wedding or trip. To help you plan the timing, keep in mind that an amalgam or composite filling can be placed in a single dental visit, whereas ceramic and gold fillings require two visits.
If you are in a hurry but still want ceramic fillings, a temporary filling can be placed until the dental work is completed, preventing any visible gaps from compromising your smile in the meantime.
The choice of dental fillings material is also influenced by the size of the cavity. Ceramic and amalgam fillings are best suited for larger cavities that can hold them securely, whereas composite resin can be used in small cavities as well as on chipped, cracked, or broken teeth.
The best type of filling for each tooth may differ depending on the location and nature of the cavities. Inquire with your dentist about the most durable, cost-effective, and least invasive filling material for the size and shape of each cavity in your smile.
A gold filling is made mostly from gold, but may also contain other metals such as copper. They’re known for their strong durability and hard enamel-like wear which is perfect for supporting your damaged tooth. Although these fillings aren’t the most pleasing to look at, they do last longest than other types of fillings due to their incredible strength and durability. Gold fillings can last anywhere from 15-30 years or more.
If you don’t mind the colour but mainly after longevity, gold filling will be the winner and could be for you.
The cost of Dental Filling in Melbourne CBD is determined by several factors, including:
- The location of the damaged tooth
The extent of the damage that must be repaired - The Complexity of the procedure
- The filling material: amalgam fillings are less expensive than composite fillings. Porcelain and Gold onlay/inlay are the most expensive.
In our practice, the cost of dental filling may range from $80 – $800 depending on the abovementioned factors.
While we all wish that dental fillings lasted forever, unfortunately this isn’t the case.
While we can never provide you with a definitive answer on how long your particular dental filling will last, we can tell you that a filling is not designed to last forever. Plus, there are several factors that may prolong or reduce the life of your filling.
The type of material used to create your filling will play a small part in the longevity of your restoration. While tooth-coloured (composite) fillings can last for several years, amalgam (metal) fillings usually last about 12 years, on average. Amalgam fillings tend to last longer than composite fillings because the material is more durable and better at resisting damage from repeated jaw pressure and chewing forces over the long term.
Of course, maintaining good oral health is a major part of keeping your fillings and mouth healthy. Besides keeping up with your at-home oral care routine (make sure you are flossing daily and brushing at least twice a day), you should be visiting our Findlay general dentist for routine visits. During these visits, we can examine your fillings to make sure that they are still healthy and intact.
Fillings can also become damaged. If you notice that a filled tooth has suddenly become sensitive to hot or cold, or if you can see a visible crack in the filling, it’s time to make an appointment with us. And when it comes to caring for your smile at home, using fluoridated toothpastes and rinses can help prevent cavities in the future and help strengthen your tooth’s enamel so that your filling lasts as long as possible.
Dental Fillings Melbourne CBD, Types of Dental filling, Cost of Fillings
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