Do You Need A Dental Filling?

What Dental Fillings Do

These restorations are used to restore the structure, function and appearance of a tooth that's been damaged or decayed, alleviating tooth pain you may be experiencing.

Why are dental fillings used?

Tooth fillings can fix fractures, cracks, or tooth decay. They help restore functionality to your tooth and in some circumstances, dental fillings can be used to make cosmetic improvements to your smile. 

How To Tell If You Might Need A Dental Filling

While you should see a dentist to confirm whether you need a filling, here are some signs that you may have a cavity that needs a tooth filling. If you experience any of these, schedule an appointment with your dentist:

• You feel a sharp or throbbing pain in your tooth.
• You've lost a tooth filling and need a replacement.
• Your tooth feels rough to the touch. 
• An existing tooth filling has broken or cracked. 
• Food keeps getting stuck between certain teeth. 
• Your tooth is broken or chipped. 
• When you examine your teeth, you see a hole or dark spot. 

What Dental Filling Can Be Made From

Dental fillings are made from a variety of materials from composite and amalgam to porcelain and gold. While each of these materials is safe and long-lasting, they also each have their own advantages and disadvantages when it comes to repairing a cavity or decay. Here, our dentists provide advice on how to make the right dental choice for you. 

Porcelain Fillings - Strength & Appearance

Also called inlays and onlays, porcelain fillings are brittle, hard, and made in combination with metal. Made in a dental lab and sent back to your dentist to place, these strong, tooth-coloured dental restorations are typically used on molars as they are more durable and longer lasting than a regular dental filling. 

You’ll usually need to attend two dental appointments so your porcelain filling can be placed in your mouth.

Composite Fillings - Natural Look & Feel

Because they are very similar in colour to natural teeth, composite fillings tend to blend in well with the surrounding teeth.

These dental fillings can look and feel natural and have become popular with patients who don't want the look of amalgam fillings, which are grey. 

Dentists like composites because they are easy to sculpt and shape onto a tooth, and bond naturally to a tooth. This means your dentist won’t need to remove as much existing enamel when preparing the tooth.

Your dentist will remove tooth decay and add bonding material to the inside of the hole so the filling can be placed. Composite resin is then layered in the hole.

A curing light is used to harden each layer. When the last layer of resin has hardened, the filling will be carefully shaped to match your natural teeth.

Gold Fillings - Durability 

Cast gold fillings are made using a model of your tooth. Created from a mix of gold combined with other materials such as copper and silver, a cast gold filling is created in a dental lab and sent back to your dentist.

It will then be cemented in place inside your mouth. Though this type of filling is considered the most durable (typically lasting 20 years or more) it is also the most costly. You'll also require at least two dental appointments to have it placed.