All You Need to Know About Aesthetic Dental Fillings

Dental fillings are used to repair broken or cracked teeth and teeth that have become worn out due to excessive misuse, such as tooth grinding or nail biting. Aesthetic dental fillings are combinations of single glass, metals, plastics, or other materials used to restore your teeth’ natural appearance. One of the most common dental fillings is to fill an area of your tooth that the dentist has removed due to tooth decay. In this article, we will explain why you should consider having your aesthetic dental fillings New York.

What Are the Different Types of Dental Filling Materials?

Today, there are several dental filling materials to choose from, such as porcelain, gold, silver amalgam (mercury mixed with zinc, copper, tin, and silver), plastic, or tooth-colored materials known as composite resin fillings. Some of these dental filling materials are explained below:

• Silver amalgam or silver fillings. This is the most popular dental filling material. These fillings are a mixture of mercury and silver alloys, making them the most durable and safe dental fillings.
• Cobalt or nickel. These dental fillings are usually silver-colored as they contain both chromium and nickel. They are also used as dental cement for fixing tooth crowns.
• Resin ionomer cement. This type of dental filling is a mixture of resin polymer, organic acid, and glass that immediately solidifies on exposure to blue light.
• Composite resin, tooth, or white-colored fillings. This is a mixture of plastic resin and powdered glass. These fillings are usually used to fill the top of your teeth and look much like the tooth’s natural color.
• Gold alloys. These dental fillings contain a mixture of copper, gold, and other metals used for partial dentures and crowns. While they are very expensive and can lead to increased tooth sensitivity, gold dental fillings are very durable.
• Glass ionomer cement. This is a self-hardening dental filling containing glass and organic acid. This material is commonly used for temporary dental fillings, cementing porcelain, or metal crowns. 

The procedure of dental filling

Before a dental filling procedure, your dentist will first numb the gums around the affected tooth using a local anesthetic. Once the area is numbed, your tooth is inspected to help determine which type of dental filling is the most suitable. If tooth decay is detected, your dentist will remove the affected areas and clean and dry your tooth. The selected dental filling material is then carefully inserted where the affected tooth area is, and the original shape of your tooth is restored. Once the multilayering process is completed, your dentist will shape the composite material to your desired outcome, trimming off any excess material and polishing your tooth surface.

 What are the Uses of dental fillings?

Dental fillings are essential to restoring the shape and stability of your tooth. This helps ease chewing and prevent further tooth damage, decay, or complete loss of the tooth. Dental fillings may be needed in cases of:

•       Broken or injured teeth, where the enamel has chipped off, exposing your tooth to decay.
•       To restore eroded or worn-out teeth.
•       To fill holes that have formed in the enamel but have not damaged the inner pulp of your teeth where the nerves and blood vessels are located.

At 286 Madison Dental, we provide a wide array of oral health services for both children and adults. Our team of well-skilled and experienced dentists will help address your dental problems using the latest dental technology such as modern surgical techniques and digital dentistry. Get started by scheduling an appointment or calling us today.