Fillings

• Your dentist may choose to place a temporary filling that may contain healing enhancers after cleaning the decay from your tooth before restoring the tooth permanently.
• Just like your natural teeth, the fillings placed in them also undergo wear-and-tear over time, and may need replacement in due course.
• While some fillings are carried out on the NHS, some are only possible as a Private treatment. Your dentist will inform you about which one you are getting before starting with the treatment.

Keep your teeth healthy and functional for longer with Genix Healthcare’s advanced options for your dental restorations. You can make it easier to keep them under check with our affordable and easy Patient Plans. Just ask at your nearest Genix Practice.

• Ensure to clean your teeth with a brush at least two times in a day and use dental floss every day to eliminate plaque lodged between your teeth and beneath your gums.
• Make it a habit to visit your dentist regularly. Taking proactive measures can prevent dental issues from arising and stop minor issues from escalating into serious ones.
• Maintain a balanced diet that restricts the intake of foods high in starch or sugar. If you consume such foods, it’s better to have them during your main meals rather than as snacks to reduce the frequency of acid exposure to your teeth.
• Opt for oral care products that are enriched with fluoride, such as toothpaste.
• Verify if the water your children drink contains fluoride. If it doesn’t, your dentist or child’s doctor might recommend daily fluoride supplements.

Depending on whether your filling needs to be made in a lab, or whether it is directly created in your mouth on the affected tooth, you may need more than one appointment for your filling. As with all procedures in dentistry, fillings begin with a thorough history and exam that may involve x-rays to assess the extent and depth of decay to formulate the appropriate treatment plan. Once it has been confirmed that the tooth can indeed be salvaged with a filling, and won’t need any other treatment like root canal therapy, consideration is given to the type of material to be used.

After clearing the decayed material from the tooth—usually under local anaesthesia—your dentist will proceed to place the filling in your tooth. In case of a lab-made filling, an impression is made to record the shape of the tooth, and the filling is cemented in the tooth in a subsequent visit.

There isn’t a universal solution when it comes to dental fillings. Your unique circumstances, such as the severity of the tooth damage, potential allergic reactions to specific substances, the location of the required filling in your oral cavity, and your budget, will dictate the most suitable choice for you.

When your dentist administers a filling, the process involves first clearing the decayed material from the tooth, sanitising the impacted region, and subsequently filling the now-clean cavity with a suitable filling substance.

A variety of materials can be used to deliver dental restorations, each offering unique benefits and drawbacks:

Gold

These are individually fabricated in a laboratory using gold alloys and then affixed to the tooth. They are generally well-accepted by the gums and can have a lifespan of over two decades. They require multiple visits, however, and can be highly costly to make.

Amalgam

Also called ‘silver’ restorations, these fillings are made of a silver-tin-mercury alloy that is mixed just before placing it in the cavity. Time-honoured for their durability and cost-effectiveness, their dark hue makes them conspicuous, rendering them not suitable for use in highly visible locations.

Composite

Colour-matched to your teeth, these fillings use a material that combines silica-quartz fillers in a resin matrix, and are bonded to teeth using special adhesive systems. Composite restorations are preferred when aesthetics is a priority, but significant material advancements mean they can be used even in the back teeth thanks to the strength of the newer products. They might not be the best choice for extensive restorations as they can chip or degrade over time, and your dentist will discuss these considerations with you if relevant.

Glass Ionomer

Sometimes referred to as ‘cement’ fillings, these are coloured to match the tooth and are composed of silica glass powder.

Ceramic

Also referred to as inlays or onlays, these are custom-made in a laboratory and then adhered to the tooth. They can be colour-matched to the tooth and are resistant to discolouration.

In the event of significant tooth damage from decay or a break, the application of a dental cap, also referred to as a crown, could be advised.

Fillings in one form or another have existed since a long time—9,500 years if archaeological records are to be believed—because they serve the very real need to obtain relief from pain and to fill in the gap left behind by the tooth decay. While technology and material advancements have radically changed how successfully tooth decay can be treated, the goals and advantages of fillings have largely remained the same:

• Restoration of the natural form and structure of the damaged and decayed tooth
• Removal and arrest of infection from the tooth
• Prevention of further decay of the tooth by sealing off spaces where bacteria can enter

It may surprise you to learn that your oral cavity is a bustling metropolis of microscopic organisms. Indeed, a variety of bacteria call your mouth home. Some of these tiny inhabitants contribute positively to your oral health. However, others can be quite detrimental. These harmful bacteria feast on the sugars and starches in your diet, producing acids as a byproduct. These acid-secreting bacteria are capable of two destructive actions. Initially, they can erode the enamel, the glossy exterior of your tooth. If these bacteria continue their destructive behaviour unchecked, they can lead to the formation of dental cavities. They burrow into the deeper structures of your tooth, resulting in discomfort, pain and difficulty eating the foods you enjoy.

Cavities—known as ‘dental caries’ in scientific jargon—should not be taken lightly. If a cavity is not addressed promptly, it can wreak havoc on your tooth and infect the sensitive nerves housed within it, potentially leading to the formation of an abscess, a localized infection at the end of the root. When an abscess comes into existence, the only recourse for treatment involves procedures such as a root canal, surgical intervention, or the removal of the affected tooth.

Tooth decay can impact anyone possessing teeth. Nonetheless, certain demographics are more likely to experience cavities. These include: children and teenagers due to elements like eating habits and practices of oral cleanliness; older adults due to aspects such as diminished enamel strength, challenges in brushing, and decreased saliva generation leading to dry mouth; people who consume edibles and beverages that stick to the teeth for extended periods, or those who frequently snack or sip; and individuals with genetic predispositions that render their teeth more prone to deterioration. Cavities can also develop beneath dental restorations like fillings, crowns, and bridges. Hence, it’s vital for everyone to maintain excellent oral hygiene, maintain a good diet, and have regular dental examinations, irrespective of their age or genetic factors. Fillings offer treatment for the following types of cavities:

• Restoring coronal cavities that are usually located on chewing surfaces or between the teeth
• Filling root surface decay that is common after gum recession
• Remedying recurrent decay that can form around existing dental work
• Fillings—especially cosmetic fillings—can be used to treat chipped or cracked teeth. More information on this can be found under composite bonding.