What a dental filling is known even to small children. The filling material is used to fill cavities formed after the treatment of carious lesions or as a result of the traumatic impact. Knowing the features of a particular type, you can choose the most suitable compositions that can accurately mimic healthy tissues and last for many years.
The installation process is quite complicated and requires professionalism and accuracy from the doctor. If you make a mistake at one of the stages, all manipulations may be useless.
What is a dental filling
Millions of people get rid of carious lesions without resorting to tooth extraction, thanks to the hardening filling mass used in dentistry. It consists of different chemicals with their own characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. The main goal of treatment is to restore the integrity of the dental units, restore a full-fledged chewing function and prevent the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the destroyed tissues.
Installing tabs is not always appropriate. With extensive lesions, a more labor-intensive and lengthy recovery with the help of bridges or implants is required.
Temporary and permanent fillings
The subdivision into these types is made by appointment. The product of the first type (diagnostic) is used to isolate the unit for a certain period, and a medicinal product with therapeutic additives is preliminarily applied under the filling material.
Also, the doctor decides on the installation, if he assumes that the patient may develop pulpitis. The seal is created from compounds of low strength, which do not differ in long service life. Thanks to this feature, the dentist can easily remove the filling material from the cavity. In most cases, synthetic dentin is used in the manufacture. After drilling with a drill, it helps to isolate the voids into which arsenic is placed to kill the nerves.
Permanent products are more difficult to install and take longer. They should serve long enough, so they are made of durable and wear-resistant compounds. The installation consists of several successive steps that cannot be neglected. The filling material helps to provide:
- Dense hermetic clogging of the holes formed during the treatment;
- Protection against ingestion of pathogenic microorganisms;
- Complete restoration of chewing function;
- Aesthetic appeal of the dentition.
What to look for when choosing fillings
In order for the filling to be successful, and the result to be preserved for a long time, it is necessary to responsibly approach the selection of a suitable type of product. Many patients are bewildered by how many varieties there are. What criteria should be considered when choosing a filling material:
- Strength and wear resistance;
- Environmental friendliness;
- Safety for the body;
- Hardening in a minimum time;
- Tightness, and pliability during grinding;
- Preservation of the original shade throughout the entire service life.
In addition, the manufacturer plays an important role. Professional doctors prefer Israeli, German, and other European brands because they produce high-quality products that are absolutely safe and meet other requirements. Such accessories serve for a long time, they are reliable and strong. A higher price is considered a negative point compared to domestic counterparts, but for many, this will not seem like a minus.
What are the types of dental fillings in dentistry, their advantages and disadvantages
There are many types of filling materials that are used to restore incisors, canines, and molars. Products are made from cement, plastic, ceramic, amalgam, light polymer, and chemically cured composites. All of them differ in durability, strength, aesthetics, cost, and installation method. To make the right choice, you need to know the features of each type, their positive and negative sides.
Cement
The composition contains a powdery substance and a liquid concentrated acid. When they react, a slurry is formed that solidifies in a short time. You can use a mass based on phosphates or silicates.
Pros:
- Low price;
- To restore the crown, you do not need special tools;
- The procedure itself takes little time, the dentist can handle it even without much experience.
There are quite a few cons:
- The inability to maintain the original shape for a long time;
- Long freezing;
- Instability to external influences, as a result of which the original integrity is quickly lost;
- High risk of a new carious lesion;
- If installed incorrectly, dental tissues may be damaged;
- Toxic compounds with poor biocompatibility with the human body.
Despite the wide list of shortcomings, cement is very popular. Patients prefer the material because of its availability.
Plastic
Most often created on the basis of acrylic. Pros:
- Low price;
- Harden very quickly;
- Durable, can last a long time;
- It is possible to choose a color that is as close as possible to the shade of natural enamel, so the changes that have occurred will not be noticeable to others.
The cons are quite serious. Doctors recommend considering what other types of dental fillings are available before choosing this option. Negative sides:
- Fast deformation;
- Change in the initial tone, staining with food, drinks, and tobacco smoke;
- Food particles often accumulate on surfaces;
- Toxic mass, which is why caries recurrence is likely;
- If depopulation was not carried out, after filling, the risk of developing pulpitis increases significantly.
Amalgam
Metal is rarely used for fillings. This is due to poor aesthetic properties, insufficient adhesion to the crown, and high thermal conductivity. It is difficult to give the product the necessary shape, and the material is toxic.
However, there is a significant plus. The amalgam is strong and lasts a very long time in the treated cavity.
Ceramic
Teeth filled with ceramics look attractive, this is the most aesthetic option of all possible. Their main feature is the need to manufacture in the laboratory. Dental technicians create fillings according to the individual parameters of the patient. Advantages:
- Resistance to temperature extremes and external mechanical stress;
- Durability and high strength;
- Preservation of the original appearance (color, shape) throughout the entire period of wearing.
Despite the obvious advantages, such products are placed much less frequently than others. This is due to the high price and long production time by exact measurements.
Photopolymer (light-cured)
The most popular filling method. The question that every dentist asks during treatment is what kind of filling to put on the tooth, gel or light.
The wide popularity of this option is associated with an excellent ratio of quality and cost of installation. The product is practical, beautiful, and durable. The composition becomes solid when it is exposed to ultraviolet light using a special lamp.
Main advantages:
- Aesthetic appeal;
- Plasticity, which simplifies the work of a doctor;
- Good adhesion to healthy dental surfaces;
- Easy to polish, giving the desired shape;
- Lack of toxicity;
- Affordable price.
These fillings also have disadvantages. For example, they can not be placed in hard-to-reach areas. They cannot be used to temporarily seal cavities.
Glass ionomer
The mass contains a large amount of fluorine. Thanks to this feature, the likelihood of developing repeated caries are reduced to zero. They are most often used in pediatric dentistry (you can see in the photo what a permanent filling looks like on a child’s tooth). Harden by themselves or under the influence of ultraviolet rays.
Pros:
- Good adhesion to surface tissues;
- Eliminates the risk of secondary carious lesions;
- Biologically compatible with the human body;
- Identical to dentine fibers;
- Easy to install;
- Become hard even in conditions of high humidity;
- Minimum shrinkage;
- Aesthetic appeal;
- Affordable price.
Minuses:
- Deformed if the conditions of solidification were violated;
- Complete solidification is possible only after a day;
- The likelihood of inflammatory processes in the pulp if the doctor sealed a very deep cavity and did not use a gasket;
- Low strength;
- The inability to accurately reproduce the anatomical shape of the dental unit;
- Short service life.
It is far from always possible to choose the color of the filling material, which would be combined with the natural shade of the enamel. Despite the negative sides, doctors believe that this is a worthy alternative.
Composites of the chemically cured type
Porcelain is the main ingredient. The product is durable but quickly becomes hard. However, there is a significant drawback – shrinkage. However, this property is compensated by additional adhesive compositions. Thanks to this, high-quality adhesion occur and the development of secondary caries is prevented.
Installation of seals
It is not enough to choose the material, it is important to know about the features of the installation of products. Durability and durability depend on the quality of work. Main stages:
- The doctor carefully examines the oral cavity, including using a mirror. If necessary, additional diagnostic studies (for example, x-rays) are prescribed. The dentist determines the degree of damage and makes a final diagnosis.
- Local anesthesia is applied. Doctors use anesthetics in sprays or inject drugs.
- The dental unit is treated with special compounds, carious lesions are removed with a drill. The cavity and superficial tissues are cleaned of small particles.
- Drying.
- If the deep layers of dentin are affected, a special lining with calcium is made. Thus, it is possible to accelerate the elimination of the inflammatory process, if any.
- An insulating cushioning material is applied, consisting of components with an increased level of adhesion.
- The seal itself is installed directly.
- If a light-curing base is mounted, each layer must be illuminated with a special apparatus.
At the final stage, everything is polished and adjusted to the natural bite. The doctor gives recommendations for proper care and use.
How much does the treatment cost
The amount depends on the material. For example:
- Ordinary composites without mounting gaskets cost about 3 thousand rubles.
- Glass ionomer cement will cost more, at 4000.
- Ceramic inlay excluding work performed – in 3500.
- Metal can be supplied the cheapest, for 1500 rubles.
Children are more accessible. This is due to the speed of the process, which is much faster. On average, parents pay about 2 thousand. Old elements are removed for 700 rubles, setting up a diagnostic construct, as a rule, does not exceed 1000.
What Causes White Spots on Teeth & How to Treat Them?
It is not recommended to save on filling products, especially when it comes to deep lesions of dentinal tissue. The patient will be able to forget about problems with the teeth for a long time and will not experience any inconvenience.
What does the cost depend on?
The final price is made up of many factors that are taken into account by the clinic’s specialists when calculating. As a rule, the following points are important:
- Materials used;
- The uses of expensive equipment;
- The size of the affected area;
- Number of visits to dentistry;
- Professional experience, qualification category of a doctor;
- Clinic location.
Do not be surprised to see a tidy sum in the check. Achieving quality results can be difficult. Sometimes more than one visit to the dentist’s office is required, including the installation of a temporary structure and the laying of medicine to kill the nerve.
Thus, the cost directly depends on the stages of treatment. The standard list of services:
- Initial inspection;
- Cleaning of affected areas;
- Application of a medicinal product;
- Anesthesia, local anesthetic;
- Panoramic or point shot;
- Cleansing and shaping channels;
- Filling;
- Installation of a diagnostic or permanent product.
The price list can be found directly at the medical institution or on the website (usually such information is provided in detail).
Which fillings are best for anterior, posterior, and posterior teeth
In the treatment of incisors and canines, increased aesthetic requirements are imposed. Common Materials:
- Silicate cement composition;
- Light-cured composite elements;
- Glass ionomers.
Molars are not visible to the naked eye when a person is talking or smiling. During therapy, dentists use masses that, after solidification, are able to withstand maximum loads without deforming. These include:
- Photopolymers;
- Amalgam;
- Ceramic;
- Cement;
- Two-component composites;
- Glass ionomer.
Summing up
There are many types of dental fillings for filling teeth, which differ in materials of manufacture, purpose, and other criteria. The type of product is selected together with the attending physician. At the same time, it is important to take into account the quality of adhesion to natural surfaces, aesthetic properties, hardening speed, and other points. For many patients, the cost of the installation is the deciding factor, so strength and durability go by the wayside.
The price is made up of many factors, and for this reason, it is important to carefully consider the choice of treatment method. Having figured out what types of permanent fillings for teeth are (the names of the types are discussed above), you can forget about the pain and other discomforts for a long time, enjoying a dazzling smile.