What are dental fillings?

Dental fillings are used to fill a portion of tooth after your dentist removes decay out of teeth. If part of a tooth has been lost through decay or damaged due to an accident, your dentist fills in the removed portion of tooth with a dental filling, an inlay/onlays or  crowns your tooth.

At BIDH cosmetic dental clinic, our dentists replaces silver amalgam fillings to tooth-colored dental fillings. We remove unsightly dark margins reflected from silver fillings to aesthetic natural-looking composite filings. Safe amalgam fillings removal techniques are offered on request.

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composite Fillings

Treat tooth decay with tooth-colored composite fillings. Metal-free, aesthetics and looks natural.

Types of Dental Fillings

Inlays and onlays can be made of porcelain, gold, or glass ionomer. Porcelain inlays mimic enamel’s translucency and color, making them attractive choices for patients. Gold alloy inlays and onlays possess greater durability.

Silver amalgam fillings

Traditional Amalgam Fillings

Today amalgam filings are commonly replaced with tooth-colored composite fillings. BIDH dental clinic does safe removal of amalgam fillings following IAOMT recommended guidelines.

  1. Silver fillings is the most economical material type, therefore it was the traditional tooth filling material for
  2. Amalgam is known to be long-lasting and strong.
  1. Silver fillings do not match the color of your natural teeth, so they are not as aesethetic.
  2. More tooth structure is often required to be removed to make a sufficient space to the amalgam.
  3. These fillings can also discoloration over time causing a grayish hue to the surrounding tooth structure.
  4. A small percentage of people are allergic reactions to the mercury present in amalgam restorations. Amalgam fillings contains minute amounts of mercury whereby some organization believe that it may be harmful to health. For this reasons, most dental fillings done today uses composites that is tooth-colored and strong.
Tooth-colored fillings

Composite Resin Fillings

Our bangkok dental clinics use 3M composites for its tooth-colored fillings. Developments in nanotechnology now enables stronger and high-quality restorations.

  1. Nanosized filler particles create a brilliant polish and retention.
  2. New composite materials provides excellent strength, durability and is wear resistance.
  3. Its low polymerization shrinkage means less stress and less sensitivity for patients.
  4. Composite fillings are chemically bonded to tooth structure, providing further support to the tooth
  5. Less tooth-sparing preparation is required for composite fillings. This means that less tooth structure needs to be removed compared with amalgams fillings.
  6. Composites may be used for simple to complex restorations involving layering and combining two or more opacities. It is versatile in uses because aside as a filling material for decay, it can also repair chipped, broken or worn teeth.
  1. Composites tend to be more costly than amalgam fillings.
  2. Tooth-colored fillings can still chip as compared to ceramics. Inlay or onlay are thus recommended for larger fillings.
  3. Because composite fillings are applied in layers, your treatment timing at the dentist may be longer than if having amalgam fillings.
porcelain onlays

Ceramic Inlays/Onlays

Overlays, inlays and onlays are typically porcelain pieces fabricated in dental labs and fitted into teeth. They are used when cavities are too large for dental fillings but may not yet require crowns.

  1. Ceramics are tooth-colored thus good aesthetics.
  2. Ceramics are more resistant to stains and abrasion than composite resin.
  3. Inlays and onlays made of porcelain are generally long-lasting as compared to than composites fillings.
  1. A ceramic inlay or onlay needs to be large enough to prevent it from breaking.
  2. Inlays, onlays require longer treatment timings for 2 visits relatitve to a single visit because they need to be made in dental labs.
  3. They tend to be more costly than amalgam and composite fillings.
  4. Ceramics can also be more abrasive as they are harder than composites and amalgam fillings.

Why dental fillings?

Below are some reasons temporary fillings may be required:

  1. Temporary fillings may be placed on if you require more than one dental appointment. Inlays, onlays, overlays, crowns require lab work. Whilst waiting for your indirect restorations, composite fillings may be used to temporary the tooth portion.
  2. Following a root canal treatment, temporary fillings are placed to close the hole before a permanent post, core and crown is done. The composite filling may be removed after a period of monitoring if there is a need to re-treat or re-clean the tooth root before your permament prosthese is done.
  3. If an emergency dental treatment is needed to address a toothache, temporary fillings may be used to enable the tooth’s nerve to “settle down” if the pulp became irritated before proceeding on actual treatment.

Treat tooth cavities early

Treating tooth cavities with dental fillings is simple, quick and easy. It prevent further deterioration of tooth condition that can lead to larger and more difficult problems to resolve if left untreated.

 

BIDH model

Questions on Dental Fillings

If you dentist detects decay in your teeth, your dentist removes the tooth cavity with a drill or air abrasion instrument. During treatment, your dentist cleans the area of bacteria and debris. If the cavity is deep, local anesthesia may be used to numb the area around the tooth. Your dentist then shapes the removed damaged or decayed portion space to receive the dental fillings.

If tooth decay is near the root, your dentist may first put in a substructure or other material to protect the nerve.

For tooth-colored fillings, the composite material is normally applied in layers. if opting for composite fillings, your dentist uses a light to harden or cures the composite layers. Any excess composite is trimed and polish.

After your dental filling is in, your teeth is checked for any high-spots. Adjustments are made to ensure you do not feel discomfort from biting down.

Having dental fillings and fillings replacement done is a quick and relatively simple process. There should be little or no sensitivity in teeth.

Dental fillings treatment can usually be completed within one visit if warranted. If however, there are a large number of fillings, the visits may be separated for better patient comfort.

To maintain your fillings, you should follow good oral hygiene practices:

  1. Brush and floss twice a day.
  2. Rinse with fluoride rinse.
  3. Visit your dentist for regular bi-annual check-ups and cleanings. During your routine visit, if your dentist suspects that a filling might be cracked or is leaking, an x-ray may be recommended to further assesed its condition.
  4. If your tooth is extremely sensitive, you feel a sharp edge or your notice a crack in the filling, do make an appointment to have this checked. Leaking fillings that do not fit tightly allows debris and saliva to seep through that can can lead to further decay.

Amalgam fillings has been used for many years. The American Dental Association (ADA)  and several public health agencies say amalgams are safe. The American National Institutes of Health released studies in 2005 that amalgam fillings are stable.

Howeverthere has however been concerns on raised about amalgam fillings due minute mercury composition found in amalgams by certain organization. There are arguments that amalgams release of a small amount of mercury vapor from tooth fillings that may cause a number of diseases including autism and alzheimer’s disease. There is no hard scientific evidence to back up the linkages.

At BIDH dental fillings clinic, the large majority of our patietns and dentists prefer to treat tooth caviities with composite fillings and is the default material option. Although there is no scientific backing on amalgam fillings adverse health effects, we prefer to keep our patients safe and advocate the use of composite fillings.

Should you have any concerns on the type of dental fillings material, please do bring up any concerns with our dentists.

The costs of dental fillings at BIDH dental filling clinic varies with the number of surfaces treated for your tooth. There are 6 surfaces to one tooth. Dental fillings are charged by per surfaces. If the decay extends to 3 surfaces, the costs will be per surface multiple by 3.

Checkup and consultation is complimentary at BIDH bangkok dental clinic. You are able to make an appointment to get a cost quote on the cost of your dental fillings.

Get more pricings on BIDH treatment fees.

Summary

Dental fillings restores teeth after tooth decay is removed. Tooth cavities may be filled with amalgam fillings, composite resin fillings or ceramic inlays and onlays.

Traditional silver fillings are increasing removed and replaced with composite fillings with advances in techniques and strength of materials. BIDH dental fillings clinic is able to perform safe amalgam removal.

Get a fRee consult

If you have tooth cavities or suspect you have one, you should have it checked and resolve early. Early detection and treatment of tooth decay early avoids larger issues that can be more difficult and invasive to treat over the long run.

Why choose BIDH Cosmetic Dental Clinic

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  1. BIDH aesthetic dentists are experts on cosmetic dentistry having thousands of veneers and crowns per year. Each with over 10 years of experience in their expertise(s) areas.
  2. Actors, actresses, beauty queens, models have sought after our aesthetic dentist for their hollywood smile.
  3. Many of our highly skilled and artistic cosmetic dentists are American board accredited or graduates on restorative and cosmetic dentistry from USA. Using advance techniques such as super-thin veneers and digital smile design concepts.
  4. Our digital smile desgin (DSD) is Thailand’s top master expert and the only specialist with a double American board aesthetic certification.
  5. They have lecturers and international speakers in the field of of digital smile makeover. The latest techniques and advance technnologies are used to cater to a customized smile profile for a natural yet enhanced overall look.
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  • BIDH asethetic dental clinic is one of the few centers in Thailand with an on-site digitalized dental lab for its cosmetic veneers and teeth works.
  • Your teeth are constructed by advanced digital CAD/CAM units combined with the human touch of skilled lab technicians.
  • As our lab technicians are within the same building, your teeth is made on-site for quick treatment delivery timings and immediate chairside adjustments. Most smile makeover cases are thus completed within days.
  • Your cosmetic dental experts utilize dental digital technologies including 3D CT scan, digitalized x-rays, intra-oral cameras, digital smile software and precision computerized milling units.
  • Our cosmetic dentists and BIDH aesthetic dental clinic has won the Best Aesthetic Dental Provider within the Asia pacific region for its high quality smile makeover servces.
  • Featured on numersous national televsion and magazines on their artistry, our cosmetic dental experts are amongst the top specialists in Thailand.
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