Almost everyone has had a dental filling, and for most of the people, it was done when they were very young. The most common use of dental fillings is to treat or prevent cavities. You know how your parents advised you to cut back on eating candy? It was because they didn't have to pay the dentist to fill all those cavities! But those gummies sure tasted great at the time. Moreover, parenting a child with a sugar high was probably not their idea of fun.
The most common dental fillings in the past were made of gold and silver amalgam. The ingredients in the silver amalgam include silver, zinc, tin, copper, and mercury. You got it, mercury. Dentists increasingly employ dental composites and porcelain because of the toxicity of mercury. These fillings are more expensive but considerably safer and don't have the mad hatter side effects.
Porcelain or Composite Fillings Are Popular
Dental filling Singapore made of porcelain or composite materials are becoming increasingly popular in place of toxic, unattractive silver amalgam fillings. This not only improves the tooth's visual aesthetics but also gets rid of the toxic amalgam filling. However, a dental filling specialist must carefully complete the removal and replacement process of silver amalgam fillings.
Uses Of Dental Fillings
Dental fillings are mainly used to preserve the health of the tooth or teeth. It is also referred to as a kind of “dental restoration.” Your dentist must remove the decayed portion of the tooth in order to treat a cavity. A filling can be used to fix the damaged area of a tooth that has cracked or worn down. This is often done during a root canal so that there isn't a residual, empty space. A dental filling restores the tooth’s pulp that was removed.
Repairing teeth that have been worn down (perhaps as a result of nutrition, age, or tooth grinding) is another well-known use. The nerves and sensitive tissues underneath the worn-out parts of the tooth are protected by the filling. They serve protection, cosmetic, and replacement purposes.
Tooth Preparation
The affected tooth needs to be prepared for the filling, like all the other dental procedures. The intensity and duration of the dental procedure will depend on the fillings used. Dental filling Singapore is categorized into six classes, ranging from Class I to Class VI. The classes determine the tooth's area, filling direction, tooth type, and filling type.
There are primarily two types of preparations:
Intracoronal – This filling is kept in place within the tooth's crown using intracoronal preparations. The most typical application for this preparation is cavity restoration.
Extracoronal – To restore the structural integrity of a tooth, extracoronal preparations are used as a base on which a filling will be placed. These are mostly used in veneers and crowns.
Conclusion
If you have any concerns, discuss them with your dentist. Additionally, when it comes to your dental care, don't be afraid to ask questions. According to a proverb, “there are no dumb questions.”
