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Main differences between metal, composite and porcelain fillings.
Fillings are materials placed in tooth cavities to stop additional damage and avoid having the tooth extracted. The decayed tissue is removed, along with bacteria and their toxic debris, and the filling material replaces it.
Metal Fillings:
Metal fillings are traditional and are made from a mix of about 50% mercury, with smaller proportions of silver, copper, tin and zinc. This mix of metals is packed tightly into the cavity and can last for a long time. Durability and strength are the main advantages.
One disadvantage is that they are highly visible, being dark gray and totally unlike tooth enamel. Many people consider them unsightly. Another disadvantage is that they weaken teeth in several ways:
- By exerting outward pressure on the tooth’s periphery, eventually causing fractures
- By expanding and contracting in response to hot and cold substances put into the mouth, and thus stressing the tooth tissue around them. This also contributes to eventual fractures
Composite Fillings:
Composite fillings are one of the offerings of modern cosmetic dentists. They are done with dental composite, also called dental bonding, white composite, and dental resin. This is a soft, pliable material that comes in a range of white shades. Your cosmetic dentist will choose a shade to match your natural teeth. It is placed directly into the cleaned-out cavity and then hardened with a curing light. This bonds it to the surrounding tooth structure, and makes it a part of the tooth.
Advantages of composite fillings:
Composite fillings are one of the offerings of modern cosmetic dentists. They are done with dental composite, also called dental bonding, white composite, and dental resin. This is a soft, pliable material that comes in a range of white shades. Your cosmetic dentist will choose a shade to match your natural teeth. It is placed directly into the cleaned-out cavity and then hardened with a curing light. This bonds it to the surrounding tooth structure, and makes it a part of the tooth.
Advantages of composite fillings:
- Aesthetically pleasing tooth-coloured appearance
- Done in one visit
- No sensitivity to hot and cold substances
- Strengthen the tooth by holding it together
Disadvantages of composite fillings:
- May not last as long as metal or porcelain fillings
- Susceptible to discolouration over time
- The tooth needs to be isolated from saliva when the bonding material is placed, but usually this is managed easily with wads of cotton or a rubber covering
Porcelain Fillings:
Porcelain fillings are another offering of cosmetic dentistry, and a very popular one. They are called indirect restorations because they are custom-made in a dental lab and then cemented to the tooth, rather than being applied directly to the tooth. They are called porcelain inlays and onlays. Porcelain inlays are smaller and sit within the cusps. Onlays extend over one or more cusps. Because they are made in a lab from impressions of your teeth, they fit precisely into the cavity.
Advantages of porcelain fillings are:
Porcelain fillings are another offering of cosmetic dentistry, and a very popular one. They are called indirect restorations because they are custom-made in a dental lab and then cemented to the tooth, rather than being applied directly to the tooth. They are called porcelain inlays and onlays. Porcelain inlays are smaller and sit within the cusps. Onlays extend over one or more cusps. Because they are made in a lab from impressions of your teeth, they fit precisely into the cavity.
Advantages of porcelain fillings are:
- Tooth-coloured ceramic material with a glossy surface like enamel
- Invisible as fillings, unlike metal fillings
- The strengthen the tooth, as they’re bonded to it, unlike metal fillings
- Stain resistant compared to composite fillings
- More durable and strong than composite fillings
There are no disadvantages of porcelain inlays and onlays except that they require two visits. They give you a strong tooth surface, they last as long as metal fillings and they look far nicer.
Source: What’s the Difference between Metal, Composite, and Porcelain Fillings?
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Source: What’s the Difference between Metal, Composite, and Porcelain Fillings?
Previous Posts:
Bad Breath Causes & Treatment
Get Perfect Smile For Adult Orthodontics
Dentistry in Dublin: Cosmetic Dentists in Ireland, Portobello
Reality & Facts About Teeth Whitening Products
No Dental Fear For Anxious Patients & Nervous Patients: Sedation Dentistry
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ReplyDeleteI heard rumors that dental amalgam is about to be banned. I may start stockpiling as advised by our rep because with the price of gold being so high i think completing a deep subgigival restoration is going to become very difficult!!
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ReplyDeleteGold. Gold fillings are sturdy and non-corrosive; they can last up to 15 years. Many people find gold fillings more aesthetically pleasing than silver fillings. But gold fillings can cost as much as 10 times more than silver amalgam fillings, and it takes more than one office visit to fit them properly.
ReplyDeleteSilver amalgam. Silver amalgam fillings offer strength and durability similar to gold at lower cost, but many people don’t like the look of them. Also, amalgam fillings can be more prone to expansion and contraction and thus they are more likely to cause a tooth to crack compared with other filling materials.
Composite. Fillings made of a tooth-colored composite are popular because the color can be matched to your teeth. Composite fillings are not as durable as metal fillings and they may need to be replaced after five years, compared with 10 or 15 years for metal fillings. They are more expensive than amalgam fillings, although not as expensive as gold fillings.
Ceramic. Ceramic fillings are often made of porcelain. They are durable and aesthetically pleasing, but they wear opposing teeth if the porcelain becomes rough.
Glass ionomers. These glass and acrylic fillings usually last less than five years, but they are often a good choice for children whose teeth are still changing. Also, they can release fluoride, which can help prevent tooth decay. Read some updates and latest innovations happening in the dental industry.