Caries is the most common oral disease in our society, so filling is a very common treatment.
In fact, it is estimated to affect 90% of the world’s population, both children and adults.
And, given this prevalence, it is also very likely that you have had to undergo the procedure to treat it: dental filling.
At this point, it should be remembered that caries is a destruction of tooth tissue that occurs for two fundamental reasons.
On the one hand, it is due to the ingestion of acids and sugars contained in food and beverages.
On the other hand, it is a consequence of poor oral hygiene, either due to insufficient tooth brushing or to errors in the brushing technique.
If we take into account the two reasons why tooth decay develops, it is not surprising that there is a high prevalence of this disease among the population.
If dental caries is not treated early by means of a filling, it will destroy the structure of the tooth and a more complex procedure will be necessary: endodontics.
What is a dental filling?
A filling -whose technical name is “obturation”- is a treatment that belongs to the specialty of Conservative Dentistry and is used to repair a damaged tooth.
This procedure consists of removing the decay from a tooth so that this disease does not advance and affect the nerve of the tooth, which would result in having to perform a root canal or root canal treatment.
In the following point we will detail the steps involved in this process.
How is a filling done?
A dental filling is a simple and relatively quick treatment, which takes approximately 40 to 50 minutes.
In our clinic, we carry it out in the following way:
1. Anesthesia
Before starting the procedure, the dentist applies local anesthesia in cases that require it.
That is, this technique is used when the caries is very advanced and affects the dentin, which is the deepest part of the tooth and where the nerve endings are located.
2. Cleaning of dental caries
The dentist removes the decayed tissue from the tooth.
By removing the unhealthy part of the tooth, he/she leaves a cavity that must be filled later.
You may be interested in ” How much does a dental filling cost?
3. Filling the cavity
To fill the cavity left after the caries cleaning, we generally use composite.
Once the dentist has finished filling the cavity, he applies light so that the material hardens.
4. Polishing and occlusal adjustment
Once we have carried out the previous step, we polish the filling and perform a bite test.
In this way, we make sure that the esthetic and functional result is optimal.
What type of dental filling is best?
Depending on the filling material used to fill the tooth, there are two types of dental fillings:
Metal
The so-called metal dental fillings are those made of silver amalgam.
Their main advantage over other types of fillings is that they are very durable, lasting an estimated 30 years.
However, this material has the disadvantage of being not very esthetic, since silver amalgam stands out very much from the natural white of the tooth.
Therefore, it can be said that amalgam has fallen into disuse.
Resin or composite
Dental fillings made of resin or composite are the most commonly used nowadays.
This is because this material has the advantage of being much more esthetic than any other metal-based material.
In other words, the composite imitates the original white color of the tooth.
However, its main disadvantage is that it lasts less time.
In view of this, it is best for the patient to maintain good oral hygiene at home and to visit the dentist at least once a year.
In this way, the dentist will be able to check the old filling and replace it when he/she notices deterioration.
As a final note regarding materials, gold has also been widely used for years for fillings.
Although it is very durable and resistant, it is no longer used because it is very expensive and its color does not resemble that of the tooth.
Sensitive teeth after dental filling
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DENTAL FILLINGS
Do dental fillings hurt?
Depending on the depth of the dental caries we need to treat, that is, if it affects the dentin, it is sometimes necessary to apply local anesthesia.
With this technique, we will prevent the patient from feeling pain during the procedure.
If the caries does not affect the dentin, we will not apply local anesthesia.
If we do not apply anesthesia, it is possible that the patient may feel slight discomfort during the process, although these will be very bearable.
On the other hand, it is also possible that after the dental filling the patient may feel sensitivity when eating very cold or hot food and even when brushing the teeth.
This sensation may persist for 3 or 4 days.
However, if the sensitivity -which should always be temporary- does not cease after a week, it is necessary to revisit the dentist who performed the treatment.
This way, you will be able to examine the seal and determine if there is a problem.
Don’t just look at the price
Although price is an important factor, we recommend that you consider other elements such as the dentist’s specialization, the technique used or the guarantee offered.
How much does a filling cost?
As with other dental treatments, the price is an element that must be evaluated.
However, it is advisable to make this assessment taking into consideration other equally important factors.
As an approximation, we can say that dental fillings currently cost around 85 euros.
Once we have an approximate idea of how much a dental filling costs, it is necessary to evaluate a series of factors in order to decide in which clinic we carry out the treatment.
At DrAW Dental Clinic we base our procedure on the following points:
Guarantee and esthetic result.
It is important that the composite used is of high quality and that the professional has a wide variety of shades available.
In this way, greater durability is guaranteed, the fall of the fillings is avoided and high esthetics is achieved, since the color of the composite resembles the original white of the tooth.
Techniques used
Although filling may seem a relatively simple process, it is advisable to follow a series of care and precautions.
In this way, we substantially increase the chances of success and promote the safety of the procedure.
At this point, we consider it essential to isolate the tooth.
This process we carry out, which requires isolating the surface on which we are working, has two fundamental benefits.
On the one hand, we prevent the patient from swallowing the instruments or materials used.
On the other hand, we prevent contact with saliva.
If there is such contact, the filling will not be fixed due to humidity.
Sugar causes caries
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FILLING TO CURE CARIES
Specialization
The specialization of the dentist who performs the treatment through an official master’s degree guarantees that he/she has a broader and more qualified knowledge of his/her area.
That is to say, a more specific training than the general one given in dentistry studies.
For example, in our clinic, the dentists responsible for carrying out the fillings are Dr. Mónica Gómez, Dr. Renate Wintergerst and Dr. Karen Camacho and Dr. Ximena Ávila.
All of them have completed the Official Master’s Degree in Integrated Dentistry at UNAM.
They have also completed the Master’s Degree in Endodontics at UNAM.
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Exclusive dedication
In addition to having specialized through an official master’s degree, the aforementioned professionals practice the specialty of conservative dentistry exclusively.
This is, without a doubt, an added value.
This exclusive dedication guarantees that the dentist has previously carried out numerous fillings.
In other words, many more treatments than those performed by a general dentist who carries out all dental treatments.
Comfort and flexibility
Apart from all of the above, we recommend that you check a few things.
Check if the dental clinic that is going to treat you has a Conservative Dentistry office every day of the week, if it has long and uninterrupted opening hours, if it is open in August or if it has free parking.
This information may not seem important to you at the moment.
However, all of these elements are highly valued by our center’s patients.
For example, if you have problems with your treatment or if you want the center you visit to become your dental clinic of reference, these are factors to take into account.
Having detailed all the elements that we believe to be important, we recommend that, although you value the price, you should not give it the maximum consideration.
We advise you to gather as much information as possible from the clinic and the dentists who work there, and also to evaluate one by one the elements we have just mentioned.
Many people think that a filling is relatively simple and can be performed by any professional.
However, without experience or proper techniques, this procedure can lead to serious oral health complications.
Examples of such complications would be irreversible pulpitis (inflammation of the pulp of the tooth) or poor cleaning of the tooth decay, which allows it to progress further and reach the nerve.
In either case, the solution would be endodontics, which is a more complex, longer and more expensive treatment than a dental filling.
