Different Types of Dental Fillings

When you think of visiting your dentist for treatment, the immediate concern is always over how you will look afterward. The worry over whether or not the treatment will satisfy your expectations can make you hesitant to try out the treatment.

As you seek treatment for dental decay, dental fillings in Austin are your best chance at restoring the health of your teeth. If, however, you are still concerned about the appearance of the outcome, you can bank on the fact that there are different types of dental fillings used in dentistry.

What Are Dental Fillings?

They are oral materials that are applied to damaged teeth to repair and restore them. Dental fillings in Austin TX serve the purpose of filling a gap in the damaged tooth. In most cases, dental fillings are used to repair decayed teeth. This means that the tooth has a cavity incurred from the damage. The oral filling will, therefore, fill the cavity, after it has been properly cleaned out of any infection.

Still, dental fillings near you can be used to repair teeth that are not decayed. Instances include broken teeth or even filling a tooth after a root canal procedure. Whichever the damage is, a filling seals your tooth from re-entry of bacteria and also strengthens the structure thereof.

Types of Dental Fillings

Choosing the type of filling to be placed in your mouth should be your decision. For you to properly know what you want, you need to know what the different types comprise of, and whether they would work for you. The different types of oral fillings are marked by the types of materials used to make them. The available options for you to choose from include:

• Gold fillings – they feature gold as the primary material. Gold fillings also feature an alloy of other metals to make for a sturdy filling. People that opt for gold fillings do so because of the strength of the material. Besides, it is luxurious to have a gold filling in your tooth, if that is your idea of aesthetic appeal. The downside to this type of filling is the cost. Given the cost of gold material, it is not hard to see why gold fillings are very expensive.
• Silver fillings – they are very popular in dentistry and are otherwise known as amalgams. They feature an alloy of metals like mercury, copper, and zinc, with silver as the primary material. They are very resourceful for many patients because they are far more affordable than gold fillings. Aside from that, the metal alloys used to make these fillings make for a sturdy dental filling. However, the color of metallic silver on your teeth in unsightly. Another issue is that amalgams can damage natural teeth, due to the expansion and contraction of the filling with temperature changes.
• Composite resin fillings – they feature a resin material that is applied in a putty-like state, then hardened to form a composite filling. The beauty with this type of filling is that it can be color-matched to your natural teeth, for a better-looking result. Aside from that, the dental bonding procedure involves applying this filling is simple and easy to perform. They are great solutions for small-to-mid-size dental repairs. The only problem is that composite resin fillings are more expensive than amalgams.
• Ceramic fillings – they feature porcelain material, which is one of the most relied-on material in dentistry. Porcelain is tooth-colored, which allows it to be color-matched to the color of your natural teeth for an aesthetically appealing result. Many people prefer porcelain filling to composite resin fillings because they are better at resisting stains. However, the cost of ceramic fillings is nearly that of gold fillings, which makes it an expensive option to choose from.
• Glass ionomer filling – it features acrylic and a special type of glass to realize a type of filling commonly used for treating children. For adults, this type of filling can be used to repair the teeth at the area below the gum line. They work similarly to composites, giving you a beautiful smile afterward.

Which Filling Should You Choose?

Having that there are five types of dental fillings to choose from, it is easy to be overwhelmed by your decision. It should all come down to your preference, your budget, as well as the location of the filling.