About Different Types of Teeth Fillings

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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:

• 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:

• 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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Dental Implants & Bone Grafting

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Many dental patients suffer from discomfort, sore spots and even gaps when using bridges or dentures. Dental implants are a permanent solution for permanent tooth loss. A dental team made of an oral surgeon, periodontist and general practitioner dentist will decide on the best course of action for the patient’s individual needs. The patient’s overall health and dental history is reviewed and several diagnostic tests are taken to determine if the patient has adequate bone density to hold the implants.

If the team finds it necessary to build up the bone before the implant surgery, the patient will undergo a bone grafting procedure first. Bone grafting is a common procedure for patients suffering from periodontal disease and for dental implant candidates.

Bone Grafting Sources
Replacing missing bone or adding to existing bone is essential for an implant patient with inadequate bone density. There are several material sources available for the bone grafting procedure. The best source is from the implant patient. Material is collected from other areas within the mouth through a suction apparatus during the drilling process for the implants. Sometimes, bones are taken from outside of the mouth such as the hip. If the surgery involves removing material from the hip, the procedure will be done in a hospital by an orthopedic surgeon.

Another common source is from cadavers. The bone is retrieved from a bone bank that has tested it thoroughly to be sure its disease-free. The procedure is very safe and very effective for patients suffering from bone loss. If natural bone isn’t the right fit, other optional materials include synthetic bone, animal bones, coral and biocompatible polymers.

Bone Grafting Procedures
There are several different bone grafting procedures:

• Sinus Grafting – the donor bone is inserted into the floor of the sinus membrane, which is the roof of the upper jaw. This procedure strengthens the egg shell thin wall of bone left behind after upper teeth are removed

• Block Bone Grafting – a block of bone is removed from one area of the patient and screwed into the area where the implants are to be placed. It takes four to six months for the new bone to integrate with the jaw bone

• Guided Tissue Regeneration – when a dentist creates a surgical hole, the soft gum tissue grows quickly over the hole blocking the bone. A membrane barrier is placed over the surgical hole to prevent unwanted gum growth. The membrane is removed later or absorbed by the body

• Bone Expansion – the walls of the bone is stretched or widened to accommodate the implant

• Socket Preservation Grafting – a donor bone is inserted into the tooth socket after tooth removal and takes four to six months to completely heal.

Source: Bone Grafting for Implants

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