Filling Replacement: When Do They Become Necessary?

Filling Replacement: When Do They Become Necessary?

Jul 06, 2021

If you have a dental cavity, the dentist near you suggests you have a dental filling. Dental fillers are long-lasting but, unfortunately, don’t last forever. How frequently you may need a filling replacement depends on the wear and tear endured by the filling material used.

The type of foods you consume and problems like teeth grinding can also determine how frequently you need Filling Replacement Encinitas, CA. Let us look at various kinds of dental filling material and their durability to understand when you require filling replacement.

Different Kinds of Dental Fillings

Various restorative materials are used for dental fillings, and the option chosen for the restoration impacts their longevity.

Silver Amalgam Fillings

Silver amalgam fillings involve an alloy of two or more materials combining silver, tin, mercury, and copper. Silver amalgam fillings are beneficial when treating large cavities in the molars for cosmetic reasons. In addition, this variety of fillings is durable besides being affordable, making it ideal for teeth where much of the chewing is involved.

Silver amalgam hardens quickly, making it an excellent option for areas below the gum line which are challenging to keep dry. In addition, the fillings require the removal of healthy sections of the tooth to accommodate the material. Despite concerns about the safety of silver amalgam, reliable bodies have confirmed the fillings are safe and reliable.

Composite Resin

Plastic helps make composite resin fillings, and their primary advantage is they are tooth-colored and aesthetically pleasing. They function by sticking to the tooth, and the filling material is installed gradually until the cavity is restored. The resin hardens by the treatment of light, leaving the patients to eat and drink comfortably immediately following the treatment.

Porcelain or Gold

Porcelain or Gold fillings are as durable as silver amalgam but are also expensive. Many patients prefer the color to silver amalgam because the chances of tooth discoloration diminish. Gold fillings require at least a couple of visits to the dentist’s offices.

Inlays and Onlays

When standard fillings are not sufficient, and a dental crown isn’t necessary, dentists provide inlays and Onlays as an alternative. Inlays restore areas within the chewing surface of the tooth. On the other hand, Onlays cover the entire region extending slightly below.

Inlays and Onlays are indirect fillings indicating they are custom made in a dental laboratory before bonding to the teeth. Inlays and Onlays also require two visits to the dentist’s offices. This variety is preferable in some cases because extensive tooth structure removal is not required. However, sometimes they are used as a direct filling missing them in one visit to the dental facility.

When Do You Need Filling Replacement?

Whenever a filling becomes loose, cracks fall out, or wears down; it is time to visit the general dentist in Encinitas, CA, for filling replacement. A damaged filling provides a doorway to the bacteria in your mouth and food particles to enter the tooth and cause issues like tooth decay.

When you get the issue identified by the dentist in Encinitas, CA, to get a filling replacement, you prevent expensive procedures like a root canal to eliminate infected dental pulp. However, keeping an eye on the dental fillings in your tooth is challenging. Therefore the better option is to have regular dental checkups to prevent issues from developing. The Encinitas general dentist looks for signs of worn or cracked sections of the filling, indicating the need for filling replacement. Dentists also use technology like digital x-rays to check for signs of tooth decay inside the tooth or under the gums not visible to the naked eye.

The filling replacement procedure is similar to getting a tooth filled because dentists must remove any decay present within the tooth from the damaged or cracked filling. In addition, the hollow space requires disinfecting before filling it again with suitable material.

All dental visits are scary regardless of whether you are getting a dental filling for the first time or are getting replacements for existing fillings. Thankfully dentists have devised a strategy to ensure you don’t endure any discomfort because you receive anesthesia to numb the portion of the mouth needing the filling replacement. The time required to replace the dental filling is similar to getting a new filling. However, the procedure prevents unnecessary trouble and keeps you away from various dental issues that can affect you if you leave the damaged or cracked filling untreated.

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