A dental filling is one of the standard dental restoration techniques dentists use to repair a damaged, fractured, or chipped tooth. A proper dental filling is done by cleaning the decayed tooth area and replacing the missing tooth structure with a dental filling. Once the filling is done, it is shaped to resemble the natural teeth.
Most commonly used dental fillings are:
- Composite
- Ceramic
Composite fillings
A composite filling is the most widely used dental restorative material as it is very aesthetic and matches your teeth’ natural colour. Composite fillings have become more popular than silver amalgam fillings due to their distinctive properties over the last few decades.
Composite fillings made from resin material can last 5 to 10 years due to their durable properties. The composite material is flexible, so it helps preserve more area of your natural tooth. They blend in well with your tooth, creating a strong bond within a minute of the procedure. They are mainly used for fillings and repairs and in fixing minor cosmetic flaws, such as changing the colour and restoring the shape of your teeth.
Compared to amalgam fillings, composite fillings have less chance of tooth sensitivity, as the material acts as a tooth insulation against both hot and cold temperature variations. If you have an amalgam filling, it is always better to replace it with composite fillings, as there is a chance for the tooth to crack because of the expanding and contracting nature of the amalgam fillings.
Another advantage of composite resin fillings is that they do not contain mercury or other harmful substances causing chemical reactions leading to long-term health issues.
Ceramic fillings
Ceramic fillings or restorations, often called inlays or onlays, are created using porcelain material, making them durable and aesthetically pleasing. They are tooth-coloured, stain and abrasion-resistant, better than composite resin, and generally used for more extensive restorations. As they are made in our own dental laboratory, we can tint them to any shade to match the colour of your original teeth.
They are less likely to get stained over time and maintain, protect, and help teeth look white day after day. Due to their rigid nature, ceramic fillings tend to last longer than composite fillings and hence can be considered a good investment. They are a much healthier option as they are less vulnerable to developing cavities in the teeth.
Other dental fillings include silver amalgam, gold, and glass ionomers. Due to the negative health impacts and fewer beneficial properties, most dentists nowadays recommend or perform either composite or ceramic dental fillings.
At Go Dental Clinic, we consider saving your original tooth an asset and focus on providing high-quality dental restoration services. If you have decayed teeth, chipped, broken, or cracked teeth, call us at +971 4 397 9522 to book a consultation for dental restoration procedures by expert dentists in Dubai.
