Dental Fillings: What Are Your Options?


Sometime you do everything –brush twice and day, floss daily and avoid sweets –yet cavities occur and dentists recommend tooth filling. Dental filling is the apt treatment available for cavities and tooth decay. With the help of dental fillings, you will be able to get rid of toothache and will be able to use your teeth normally. Luckily, there are plenty of dental fillings options available today than ever before. Dental filling treatment varies in material and complexity. If your dental expert recommend a dental fillings, having knowledge about what is available can help you in selecting the best option for your mouth.

Types of dental fillings

Amalgam Fillings

Amalgam fillings have been used by dentists for more than 160 years. These fillings are mixture of several metals. Amalgam fillings typically contain mercury, copper, tin, zinc and silver. These fillings are durable and long-lasting. They are cheaper as compared to other fillings.

Composite Fillings

Composite filling are made from acrylic resins and glass powder. They are better than amalgam fillings. It can be shaded according to the existing color of patient’s teeth making them less visible. As more patients ask for natural-looking smiles, these fillings are becoming popular. However, composite filling are not as durable as amalgam fillings.

Gold Fillings                           

Gold fillings are the best when it comes to tooth fillings. These are the most long-lasting and durable dental fillings. Gold fillings can remain effective for more than 20 years. Of course, you will have to pay a handsome amount of money for these fillings. Along with being the best dental filling option, gold fillings are the most pricey dental fillings option.

Porcelain Fillings

Porcelain fillings are quite similar to gold fillings. They are filled via indirect method, which requires more than one sitting. These fillings are pricey. Porcelain fillings are not as durable as gold fillings, but they look like natural teeth.

Resin Fillings

Resin fillings are recommended to kids. Resin fillings are used on the primary teeth or in the gaps of decay, as they are quite fragile.

What to expect during dental filling

Local Anastasia-It is given to numb the areas around tooth.

Tooth Decay Removal-Using apt dental equipment, dentist removes the decay portion of the teeth.

Etching-Acidic gel is applied within teeth which will etch.

Application-Dental fillings are placed inside the affected teeth.

Polishing-Finally, your dentist will polish the treated tooth or teeth before you leave the dental clinic.

Why Does My Tooth Hurt?

There is nothing more frustrating or borderline debilitating than toothache. Along with the pain comes the scary reality that you might have to see dentist in near future, and dentist may recommend a root canal, novocaine or any other treatment. Well, before you jump into any conclusion, try to figure about the root cause of the pain. Tooth pain or toothache can be the outcome of a numerous of causes other than a cavity. Therefore, it is important to probe –what kind of pain it is, where it is originating from, and when is it happening.

Tooth pain

A tooth pain can described as any soreness, pain or ache in and around a tooth. Painful tooth may be sensitive to sweets, sensitive to temperature, painful while biting or chewing, or it may even have a dull ache or sharp pain.

Sharp tooth pain

Sudden pain in one or more teeth while chewing something may occur because of cavities or tooth decay. There are bacteria that grab sugar from your food and coverts it into acid that result tooth decay. If the toothache is experienced only once in a while, and is not confined to a particular tooth, it is probably nothing to worry about. But if pain is consistent in a tooth, you need to pay a visit to your dentist.

Achy tooth pain

Achy pain is not a big issue if it lasts one or two days. But achy pain that lasts for more than 1 week may be a symptom of teeth grinding. You need to visit your dentist as soon as possible. Avoiding achy pain may result more pain in the future.

Pain because of stained or yellow teeth

Well, yellow or stained teeth are generally not a symptom of serious dental problem. These stains occur because of drinking tea, coffee, wine, or other dark liquids. Teeth whitening treatments at dentist in falls church va can solve this issue. These issues occur because of poor dental habits.

Pain caused by lose or crooked teeth

If you suddenly notice a crooked or lose teeth, you need immediate attention of your dentist. This situation not only causes severe pain, but it is also a signal of bigger dental problem. This basically occurs because of periodontal disease. It is important to get this condition treated as soon as possible. The more you avoid the worse your problem gets.


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