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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Reasons & Causes of Tooth Discoloration

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It is almost impossible to maintain your teeth well enough to have a naturally dazzling white smile throughout your lifetime. There are many reasons why this is unattainable, and many of the factors involved are not related to the kinds of food you eat on a daily basis.

“Many of my patients don’t realize that stained or discolored teeth is not just a result of drinking coffee too much or smoking,” says Dr. Dennis Ikuta, a cosmetic dentist in Reedley, California. “There are many causes of stained or discolored teeth, including genetics, medications, and diseases in addition to foods, drinks, and tobacco use.”

Genetics, Aging and Tooth Enamel
For some people, genetics have a major role in why their teeth are not as naturally bright or white as other people. Just as your DNA determines your eye and hair color, it also determines the color of your enamel. If your parents have naturally bright white or yellow teeth, chances are that you will have a similar shade.

Aside from the natural shade of your enamel, there are other genetically predisposed factors that can contribute to the discoloration of your teeth. Enamel defects like microscopic pits, fissures. and other surface abnormalities can make the teeth susceptible to the accumulation of staining foods, drinks, or tobacco. When your enamel naturally wears down with age, the yellow-colored tooth structure underneath will also begin to show through.

A genetic salivary dysfunction can also contribute to staining because saliva is a key component in naturally removing plaque and food debris from your tooth surfaces. If you do not produce as much saliva as you should, your first line of defense against staining is greatly weakened, and you will need to greatly accelerate your dental hygiene routine to avoid staining.

Diseases and Medications that Affect Your Teeth
Many diseases and daily medications for common ailments can have an affect on the color of your teeth over time. There are diseases that can directly cause tooth discoloration (like enamel diseases) and there are diseases that can indirectly cause discoloration through their affect on your dental health or the medications you must take to control their symptoms.

For example, the onset of diabetes can cause your periodontal (gum) health to deteriorate more rapidly than for those without the disease. When your periodontal health is compromised, the bacteria, plaque and tartar build-up on your teeth increases, eventually leading to stains.

Many medications also increase tooth discoloration. Common anti-psychotic, anti-depressants, and acne medications such as tetracycline cause discoloration of the teeth. In addition, medications that dry out your mouth can lead to discoloration because they affect the amount of saliva helping to naturally wash away food particles from your mouth.

The Solution: Professionally Whitening Your Teeth
If your teeth are stained due to any of the reasons mentioned above, you may be a good candidate for professional tooth whitening. Depending on the cause of your stained teeth, your cosmetic dentist may recommend professionally whitening your teeth in an office environment or using an at-home whitening kit. You will need to tell your cosmetic dentist if you suffer from a disease or take a medication that has impacted your dental health. This information is critical in determining the best long-term tooth whitening strategy for you.

Contact an experienced cosmetic dentist near you today if you would like to gain or restore a dazzling white smile. No matter what the cause of your stained or discolored teeth, a cosmetic dentist will help you find a tooth whitening solution for you.

Source: The Different Causes of Tooth Discoloration

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Advantages of Teeth Inlays, Onlays & Teeth Fillings

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If your teeth are damaged or decayed, there is an option to restore health and beauty to your smile.

Dental inlays and onlays are restorations used to repair rear teeth that have mild to moderate tooth decay; they are also used to restore teeth that are fractured or cracked if the damage to them is not severe enough to warrant a dental crown. Inlays and onlays are usually made from porcelain, composite resin and sometimes gold. Inlays and onlays are often used to replace metal fillings for those who desire a more natural-looking smile.

Inlays
Inlays are used to treat teeth that have decay or damage on their top surfaces. Inlay placement is usually done over the space of two visits to your cosmetic dentist. During the first visit, an impression of your tooth will be taken, and a temporary inlay will be placed on the tooth. The impression will be sent to a dental lab where your inlay will be matched to your tooth's specifications. When you return to the dentist, your temporary will be removed and the permanent one will be placed over your tooth.

Onlays
Onlays are used to treat decay that extends to one or more of the cusps (top projections of the tooth). Onlays are placed in much the same manner as inlays with an impression being taken first and a temporary onlay being placed over the tooth. The impression is sent to a lab, where a dental technician creates the onlay according to the tooth's dimensions. One the next visit to the dentist, the temporary is removed and the permanent restoration is placed on the tooth and bonded securely using high-strength dental resins.

Onlays, like inlays, can be created from tooth-colored material, which makes them virtually undetectable to the naked eye. Onlays conserve more tooth structure because their use requires minimal removal of a tooth's surface. Onlays also help patients avoid the eventual need for more extensive treatment with crowns, bridges, or dental implants.

Advantages
Since inlays and onlays are made from durable, tooth-colored porcelain typically, they offer much more enduring and natural-looking results than the metal fillings used in the past. Dentists can securely bond them to the tooth's surface, which adds structural integrity and prevents bacteria from entering and forming cavities.

Additional advantages are:

• Inlays and onlays, unlike metal fillings, will not expand or contract in response to temperature changes caused by hot/cold foods.
• Inlays and onlays can replace metal fillings creating a healthier more natural-looking smile.
• Inlays and onlays are virtually invisible due to being made from tooth-colored material.
• Inlays and onlays help strengthen the teeth up to 75%.

Source: Restore Teeth with Inlays and Onlays

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