What is Dental Filling?
Dental filling is a tooth decay treatment to restore damaged teeth & to prevent further tooth decay by bacteria. Dental Filling can prevent further damage to tooth structure by preventing the decay to progress to nerves and save your tooth from Root Canal Treatment.
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Different signs of Tooth Decay includes:
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Tooth Sensitivity
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Tooth Ache
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Pain while eating or drinking
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Visible holes in teeth
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Staining of tooth surface
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We remove the decay tooth tissue and restore the tooth by filling it.
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When is Dental Filling Required?
Dental filling is necessary in case of tooth ache or cavity caused by tooth decay.
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Small holes in teeth can be treated by filling to avoid accumulation of food particles and bacteria, which can cause tooth decay.
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In case of trauma or sports injury, tooth may get fractured which can be cured by filling.
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Tooth may be damaged due to poor hygiene habits, lack of regular brushing, high sugar intake or inherent defects that damages enamel causing dental cavity.
Procedure of Dental Filling
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First step in the procedure of filling is to examine the infected tooth.
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Depending on the severity of tooth decay local anesthesia is administered to numb the area around the infected tooth.
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Decayed tooth and area surrounding a tooth is prepared for restoration.
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A laser or a dental hand piece is used for removing the decayed part of tooth.
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Affected area is then cleansed by gel to remove bacteria.
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The dental cavity is then then filled by applying filling material.
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Types of Dental Filling
Composite Fillings
Made of acrylic resin and powdered glass. It's color can be matched with person's original teeth. This is cured using laser and hence a person can eat anything immediately after getting this filling done.
Ceramic Fillings
They look like natural teeth as they are made of porcelain. They are stain resistant with a high durability. These fillings are called indirect restorations as they are sent to lab and custom made according to your tooth.
Glass Ionomer
This filling material incorporates Fluoride content in them which prevent any further decay in the tooth, hence they are highly recommended for kids and people with high caries index. They are used in people having decay into the root of the tooth.
Gold Fillings
They are made from Gold, hence extremely durable and sort of permanent tooth filling. They do not match color of the teeth. Gold Fillings are very expensive.
Amalgam Fillings
These fillings are durable so often used in back teeth. They are made from the mixture of metals so they don't match the natural teeth & can last for 10-12 years.