Fillings

Restoring a decayed tooth is essential to protect its strength and structure. If you have a cavity, Ibad Farshori, DMD, and Florentino Palacios, DDS, at Tiger Family Dental Care, know that selecting the right filling material affects how well your tooth holds up over time. When decay creates a cavity, your tooth is prone to cracks, breaks, and deeper infection. That’s why they provide several filling options at their office in Rockville, Maryland. Call the office or schedule an appointment online to learn more.

What are fillings?

Dental fillings restore damaged areas of decayed teeth, filling in the spaces left behind by eroding decay. They can also repair small chips and cracks. 

Your Tiger Family Dental Care dentist typically recommends a filling when you have a cavity — a small hole that forms from tooth decay. If you don’t treat a cavity quickly, it expands and eats away at your tooth structure. Removing the decay and filling protects your tooth from additional damage.

Are there different types of fillings?

Tiger Family Dental Care offers several types of filling materials, including: 

Metal fillings

Amalgam, or metal, is the traditional material used in fillings. It’s durable, cost-effective, and long-lasting. The main drawback is its visibility because it appears silver. They also require your dentist to remove more of your tooth structure than tooth-colored fillings.

Tooth-colored fillings

Tooth-colored fillings are made of composite materials that your dentist applies as a liquid that hardens. This allows your dentist to remove less of your natural tooth structure than when placing a metal filling. Your dentist uses color-matched material to blend in with your smile. 

What is getting a filling like?

The dental filling process depends on the type you choose. First, your dentist removes the decayed part of your tooth. Next, they apply the filling. 

For amalgam fillings

If you’re getting a metal filling, your dentist shapes the tooth cavity and then molds the amalgam material, a powdered alloy and liquid mercury, to form a putty. The material hardens shortly after being placed.

For tooth-colored fillings

The first step in getting a composite filling is matching the material to your natural tooth shade. After removing the decay, your dentist etches your tooth and applies the composite in thin layers, hardening it with a special light after each application.

How long do fillings last?

Most fillings can last 10-20 years, depending on how well you take care of them. In general, metal lasts longer than composite, but the latter is more cosmetically appealing. You can extend the life of a filling by:

• Brushing and flossing twice a day
• Limiting sugary foods and beverages
• Having dental checkups every six months
• Avoiding tobacco products

Once cavities reach your tooth pulp, it may be too late to treat the damage with a filling. That’s why you should schedule an appointment at the first sign of trouble by calling Tiger Family Dental Care or booking online today.