Fillings
Silver amalgam fillings have been replaced by tooth coloured, white fillings largely due to environmental concerns. These white fillings replace tooth structure that may have been lost due to decay, accidental blows and to replace broken and cracked portions. They are bonded onto the enamel of your teeth and applied directly in your mouth. Your dentist may use a rubber dental dam to help keep saliva out of the filling as saliva does not mix well with the resin material used.
Resin tooth-coloured fillings are great in terms of looks but for larger fillings may not have an ideally long lifespan. Your dentist can offer you some options with regards to larger fillings such as porcelain fillings which are stronger. Some patients still like gold fillings and the dentists at Perth City dental do too! Some of our dentists are old enough to have used this material a lot in our younger years!
Frequently Asked Questions
Fillings have a finite lifespan due to our chewing patterns, grinding and decay. The fillings themselves have a certain strength, which after years of use may not withstand the forces within the mouth.
Losing a filling can be painful. Be guided on the sensitivity. If your tooth is uncomfortable, it is a high priority to see a dentist.
Occasionally it may take a week or so for your tooth to settle after a filling as it adjusts to what it is required to do in your mouth. However, if your tooth feels high to bite on or painful to temperature it is important to contact us at Perth City Dental.
