Dental Fillings are the most common dental procedures in UK with about 84% of the adults getting them more than once in a lifetime. Choosing the right one for your teeth requires proper information of all the options. Here are brief descriptions of the 4 common types of dental fillings available.
Amalgam Dental Fillings
They are an amalgamation of different metals such as mercury, silver, tin and copper. They appear silver when placed, which is why commonly they are known as silver fillings. Amalgam fillings have a great track record in dentistry and have been very successful. The dentist only removes the decayed area in order to place the Amalgam filling. Ceramic or Gold filling, on the other hand may reduce some healthy tooth structure to place the filling. Dentists prefer Amalgam fillings because it helps to retain healthy tooth making it a desirable choice. It is also reasonably cheap and quick to apply. So far it is the most cost-effective dental fillings available.
Gold dental fillings
Just like the name suggests, these fillings are made out of gold although they do contain other metals. Usually, a gold filling consists of 75% with the rest being made up of silver, palladium or other metals. Gold is amongst the most bio-compatible materials and has a very smooth surface once polished making it kind to the tooth opposing it. These fillings make the wear of teeth around minimal and also make sure that your bite is not affected. Other fillings can be abrasive to surrounding teeth but not gold. Gold is very costly and its fillings are a lot more expensive than others. Also ,Gold dental fillings require the skill of dental technician to manufacture it which makes its cost increase even more.
Ceramic fillings
These are white composite fillings which are made up of a high grade dental ceramic material. As compared to gold and metals, these ceramic fillings are not as strong but they are chemically bonded to the tooth in a similar way as the laminated windscreen on the car. Through the process of bonding the filling and the tooth, the strength of the filling increases greatly. Since these fillings are specially made by the dental technician, they could be made to look natural. Dental Ceramic used is not as strong as gold however the chemical bond forms a strong union as previously mentioned. This means these fillings have a good longevity and may last many years. They also look very natural and good. The disadvantages about these fillings are that they are somewhat more expensive as they require the expertise of highly skilled technician and also they are more abrasive than other forms of fillings.
Composite Fillings
These are also known as direct fillings and are made up of tooth coloured putty-like material which your dentist can apply directly to the tooth. These composite fillings have a complex composition and contain a light sensitive component that forms the hard filling when a high powered light is applied on it. Since these fillings are directly applied by the dentist they can also be made to look exceptionally natural. Composite fillings are the most commonly used today because of their relative lesser costs. They also last a long time and appear natural. The downfall is that they may stain over time making them a preferred choice for back teeth. They are also considerably softer which increases their higher wear rate. Since they are fitted directly by the dentist they are very easy to repair.
At Walting Street Dental Care in Gillingham Kent, we offer all the above type of dental fillings, to find out which is best for you, book your appointment by calling us on 01634 648080 or visiting our website: https://www.watlingstreetdental.co.uk/
