The cosmetic filling is essential to cure your cavity and you should consult with a dentist once you spot the decay, the decay slowly spreads into the root of the tooth and if left untreated, it may result in severe tooth damage, eventually, you may lose your tooth. Cavities are the dark gray pockets developed in your tooth due to bacteria present in your mouth, smoking and drinking, eating pigmented food and a poor oral hygiene routine, etc.
Cosmetic Filling Procedure
Usually, the dentist will examine your medical records and an x-ray may be taken to analyze the depth of the decay. Soon after these preliminary checks, the doctor will numb the affected tooth region using local anesthesia to make the filling job painless.
In the next step, the dentist will remove the decay from your tooth using a dental rotary tool and other dental hand instruments. Once the decay is removed the tooth is ready for the cosmetic filling. To match your tooth color, the dentist uses plastic and glass materials that can match your natural tooth. A bonding solution is applied and hardened with special high-intensity blue light. You may feel discomfort after the filling but over the time you will get used to it.
To relieve the pain it is prescribed you take over-the-counter pain killers if the pain continues then you should visit the dentist. In some instances, the decay could be quite deep and close to the nerve of the tooth, in these situations, the nerve could already be affected with bacteria, even though a filling has been placed there is still a big possibility that the tooth may need to go under root canal therapy to relieve the discomfort. You should be aware that the durability of a filling depends on your oral hygiene and diet. So, make sure to sustain your filling with proper brushing and flossing. If you have any additional questions please consult with the dentist.
Different Types Of Fillings
- Amalgam filling: It is also known as a silver filling, it is combined with 50% mercury along with tin, silver, copper or zinc. It is less expensive and long-lasting. Most dentists have moved on from this type of treatment and most dentists don’t use this method anymore.
- Composite filling: It is used for matching tooth color and is made of glass materials and acrylic resin.
- Gold filling: It is the most durable, strong and long-lasting filling and it is quite expensive as well.
- Porcelain filling: It is a good option too, as they look like natural teeth. It is a little bit pricey and may require more than one visit.
