Information On Various Types Of Dental Fillings

Posted on: 5 April 2019

Some people have the misconception that as long as they take care of their teeth exactly how they have always been taught, then they won't have to worry about cavities. However, even if you do everything right, there are still many ways that you can end up with cavities. A chipped tooth can be an easy target for a cavity because there will be a breach in the enamel that leaves the inner tooth at risk. Also, thin enamel can easily wear down over time, allowing cavities to appear. Bad eating and drinking habits can also contribute to cavities, even when the teeth are otherwise properly cared for. If you end up with one or more cavities, then you will need fillings to be put in by your dentist. Here are some of the different types of materials that may be chosen for those fillings.

Amalgam fillings

These are the fillings that many people think of when they head to the dentist. Amalgam fillings are the ones made from a combination of metals that have been used for decades. This type of filling tends to be the most affordable and are the silver ones you have probably noticed when someone yawns or laughs. Along with being quite affordable, amalgam fillings are also known for lasting a long time.

Porcelain fillings

Porcelain fillings have become very popular in recent years. A lot of the reason for the growth in their popularity is due to their ability to blend in with the rest of a patient's tooth. Porcelain fillings can come in different shades and levels of those shades that allows them to match the look of a person's tooth so much that it will be difficult for someone who is not a dentist to even notice that the person has a filling at all. Porcelain fillings can stain as your natural teeth can, so you want to be careful with what you eat and drink.  

Composite fillings

This type of tooth filling is made from a material that contains acrylic resin. Just as the porcelain fillings do, these fillings can also be made to match the color and shade of your natural tooth, making them difficult to recognize as fillings. It's important to realize that composite fillings aren't quite as strong as amalgam fillings, and this means you may have issues with them down the line. Many dentists choose to use them for smaller fillings only.

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About Marcel and the Dentist

Hi, my name is Marcel. Welcome to my site! I started it to help others learn about children's dentistry. Most of us don't remember dentist trips from our early childhood. Maybe we didn't even really care about our teeth until we started losing baby teeth. In my case, I became interested in children's dentistry as a young father. When my kids were young, I was a student, and our insurance did not cover visits to the dentist. Although my wife and I tried to teach our kids good hygiene on our own, it was difficult. When we we finally able to take them to the dentist, my little girls were scared and didn't know what was going on. Luckily, they appreciate the dentist now that they are older, but their first experiences helped teach me more about the importance of children's dentistry. Hopefully you can learn from my experiences!