Orange Park dentist, Dentist in Orange Park, FL

FILLINGS/BONDS

A bonding is a composite resin that is used as an alternative to amalgams and veneers. This is an excellent cosmetic option for those patients who do not want the look of silver in their mouths and do not want the expense of veneers. Bonding are also used on teeth that are decayed, cracked, or stained.

To treat a cavity Dr. McClure will remove the decayed portion of the tooth and then "fill" the area on the tooth where the decayed material once lived.

Fillings are also used to repair cracked or broken teeth and teeth that have been worn down from misuse (such as from nail-biting or tooth grinding).

What Steps Are Involved in Filling a Tooth?

First, Dr. McClure will numb the area around the tooth to be worked on with a local anesthetic if needed.

Second, a dental handpiece, an air abrasion instrument or a laser will be used to remove the decayed area. The choice of instrument depends on the location and extent of the decay.

Third, Dr. McClure will remove all of the tooth decay. Once completed he will prepare the space for the filling by cleaning the cavity of bacteria and debris. If the decay is near the nerve, Dr McClure will put different "medicines" in the tooth first. These "medicines are made from different materials and are designed to keep the tooth healthy and to protect the nerve.

After Dr. McClure has placed the special liner and cleaned the area, the tooth-colored filling material is applied in layers. Next, a special light that "cures" or hardens each layer is applied. When the multi-layering process is completed, Dr McClure will shape the composite material to the desired result, trim off any excess material and polish the final restoration.

What Types of Filling Materials Are Available?

Today, several dental filling materials are available. Teeth can be filled with gold; porcelain; silver amalgam (which consists of mercury mixed with silver, tin, zinc, and copper); or tooth-colored, plastic and glass materials called composite resin fillings.

The location and extent of the decay, cost of filling material, patients' insurance coverage and your dentist's recommendation assist in determining the type of filling that will best address your needs.

Cast gold Feelings

Advantages of cast gold:

1. Durability – lasts at least 10 to 15 years, usually longer; doesn't corrode.
2. Strength – can withstand chewing forces.
3. Aesthetics – some patients find gold more pleasing to the eye than silver, amalgam fillings.

Disadvantages of cast gold:

1. Expense – more than other materials; up to 10 times higher than cost of amalgam filings.
2. Additional office visits – requires at least two office visits.
3. Galvanic shock – a gold filling placed immediately next to a silver, amalgam filling can cause a sharp pain (galvanic shock) to occur. The interaction between the metals and saliva causes an electric current to occur – however, it's a rare occurrence.
4. Aesthetics – most patients don't find any "colored" fillings to be an "eye-pleasing" advantage.

Silver-fillings (Amalgams)

Advantages of Amalgams:

1. Durability – lasts at least 10 to 15 years and usually outlasts composite fillings.
2. Strength – can withstand chewing forces.
3. Expense – is less expensive than composite fillings.

Disadvantages of Amalgams:

1. Poor aesthetics – fillings don't match the color of your natural teeth.
2. Destruction of more tooth structure – healthy parts of the tooth must often be removed to make a space large enough to hold the amalgam filling.
3. Discoloration – amalgam fillings can create a grayish hue to the surrounding tooth structure.
4. Cracks and fractures –– in comparison to other filling materials–amalgams fillings may experience a wider degree of expansion and contraction. And this leads to a higher incidence of cracks and fractures.
5. Allergic reactions – a small percentage of people, approximately 1%, are allergic to the mercury present in amalgam restorations.

Tooth-colored Composite Fillings

Advantages of tooth-colored composite fillings:

1. Aesthetics – the shade/color of the composites can be closely matched to the color of existing teeth; and is particularly well suited for use in front teeth or visible parts of teeth.
2. Bonding to tooth structure – composite fillings actually chemically bond to tooth structure, providing further support to the tooth.
3. Versatility in uses – in addition to use as a filling material for decay, composite fillings can also be used to repair chipped, broken or worn teeth.
4. Tooth-sparing preparation – Most of the time less tooth structure needs to be removed, compare to amalgams when removing decay and preparing for the filling.

Disadvantages of tooth-colored composite fillings:

1. Lack of durability – composite fillings wear out sooner than amalgams (lasting at least 5 years compared with at least 10 to 15 for amalgams); in addition, they may not last as long as amalgams under the pressure of chewing and particularly if used as the filling material for large cavities.
2. Increased chair time – because of the process to apply the composite material, these fillings can take up to 20 minutes longer than amalgams fillings.
3. Additional visits – if composites are used for inlays or onlays in rare cases, more than one office visit may be required.
4. Chipping – depending on location, composite materials can chip off the tooth.
5. Expense – composite fillings can cost up to twice the cost of amalgams.

In addition to tooth-colored, composite resin fillings, two other tooth-colored fillings exist–ceramics and glass ionomer.

1. Ceramics - made most often of porcelain, are more resistant to staining than composite resin material but are also more abrasive. This material generally lasts more than 15 years and can cost as much as gold.
2. Glass ionomer - made of acrylic and a specific type of glass material. This material is most commonly used for fillings below the gum line and for fillings in young children (drilling is still required). Glass ionomers release fluoride, which can help protect the tooth from further decay. However, this material is weaker than composite resin and is more susceptible to wear and prone to fracture. Glass ionomer generally lasts 5 years or less with costs comparable to composite resin.

Does Dental Insurance Cover the Cost of Composites?

Most dental insurance plans cover the cost of the composites up to the price of the silver (amalgams) filling, and then the patient must pay the difference.

What Are Indirect Fillings?

Indirect fillings are similar to composite or tooth-colored fillings except that they are made in a dental laboratory and require two visits before being placed.

Indirect fillings are considered when not enough tooth structure remains to support a filling but the tooth is not so severely damaged that it needs a crown.

What are the steps involve in Indirect Fillings?

During the first visit, decay or an old filling is removed. An impression is taken to record the shape of the tooth being repaired and the teeth around it. The impression is sent to a dental laboratory that will make the indirect filling.

A temporary filling (described below) is placed to protect the tooth while your restoration is being made.

During the second visit, the temporary filling is removed, and the dentist will check the fit of the indirect restoration. Provided the fit is acceptable, it will be permanently cemented into place.

Two types of Indirect Fillings – inlays and onlays.

• Inlays are similar to fillings but the entire work lies within the cusps (bumps) on the chewing surface of the tooth.
• Onlays are more extensive than inlays, covering one or more cusps. Onlays are sometimes called partial crowns.

Inlays and onlays are more durable and last much longer than traditional fillings – up to 30 years. They can be made of tooth-colored composite resin, porcelain or gold.

Inlays and onlays weaken the tooth structure, but do so to a much lower extent than traditional fillings.

Another type of Inlay and Onlay - Direct Inlays and Onlays

Direct inlays and Onlays follow the same processes and procedures as the indirect inlay and onlay, the difference is that direct inlays and onlays are made in the dental office and can be placed in one visit.

The type of inlay or onlay used depends on how much sound tooth structure remains and consideration of any cosmetic concerns.

What is a Temporary Filling and Why Would I Need One?

Temporary fillings are used under the following circumstances:

1. For fillings that require more than one appointment – for example, before placement of gold fillings and for certain filling procedures (called indirect fillings) that use composite materials.

2. Following a root canal but if there is a reason not to complete the final restoration

3. To allow a tooth's nerve to "settle down" if the pulp became irritated.