Fillings for teeth can be made from a variety of materials, including amalgam, porcelain, gold, and composite resins. In addition to being safe and long-lasting, each of these materials has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
Composite Fillings
Composite fillings are plastic tooth-coloured fillings that look and feel natural when placed in a patient's mouth.
Composite fillings are designed to look natural and blend in with your natural teeth in a seamless way. These materials are also relatively easy to shape and mold onto teeth, and because they bond naturally to teeth, allowing your dentist to leave much of the natural enamel in place during the process.
For this type of dental filling, it is important for your dentist to remove all decay present within the tooth and then utilize a bonding material within the void. After that, thin layers of composite resin are poured into the hole. With the help of a specialized light they will cure each layer into a solid state. When the final layer of the filling has hardened, your dentist will shape the filling so that it matches the shape of your natural teeth.
Porcelain Fillings
A strong, tooth-coloured dental restoration is created by combining hard and brittle porcelain fillings with metal, which results in a tooth-coloured dental restoration.
A porcelain filling is created in a dental lab and returned to your dentist, who cements it in place in your mouth. It is typically necessary to schedule at least two dental appointments in order to complete the procedure.
Amalgam Fillings
Silver in colour, amalgam fillings are frequently used to fill teeth located at the back of the mouth. They are a mixture of metals, including mercury, silver, copper, and tin, among others.
While the silver colour may not be appealing to people who prefer a more natural appearance, they are a long-lasting option for molars that are subjected to a great deal of wear and tear.
Gold Fillings
In order to create a cast gold filling, a model of your tooth must be created. A mixture of gold and other metals, such as silver and copper, is used to create these pieces.
Much like the porcelain fillings, this type of dental filling is made in a dental lab and then returned to your dentist, who cements it into place inside your mouth. As a result, this type of filling typically requires at least two dental appointments to complete.