Understanding Dental Fillings: How They Restore and Protect Your Teeth

Dental fillings are the most common form of tooth restoration Typically, fillings are called for when a patient’s tooth has a cavity or lesion on its surface. They serve to restore a tooth’s strength and natural shape and protect against further damage.

Today we’re looking at dental fillings, what they are, what they’re made of, and how they restore and protect teeth.

What Are Dental Fillings?

In the simplest of terms, a dental filling is a very quick-drying cement that’s applied by a dentist to a cavity or lesion on the surface of a tooth. Dental fillings can be comprised of a variety of materials, each of which may be called for in different scenarios. The most common include:

• Amalgam – a durable, long-lasting, and inexpensive combination of metals, including silver, tin, copper, and mercury
• Composite Resin – Though less durable than amalgam, this mixture of plastic and glass materials is a popular cosmetic solution for repairing more visible teeth, as it is easily shaded into a tooth-colored mixture. 
• Porcelain – the priciest of these options due to its extreme durability and receptiveness to tooth-colored shading

While there’s no standard amount of time that a filling “should” last, with proper care, most will last seven to ten years, and even as long as fifteen! A consultation with your dentist is the best way to determine the right filling for your needs.

How Do Dental Fillings Restore and Protect Teeth?

Dental fillings help to repair and protect damaged teeth. How do they do this?

When a patient goes to the dentist with a cavity, a minor crack, or decay in a tooth, their dentist begins by removing the damage and creating a small pocket into which the filing material will be applied. At this point, the filling mixture is used to fill this space. Once the cement-like mixture is dry, it not only restores the tooth’s natural shape and function but also acts as a barrier against bacteria. By sealing off these vulnerable areas, dental fillings provide a quick and painless safeguard from far more serious issues.

Dental Fillings in Elk Grove Village

If you’re in the Elk Grove Village, IL area and think you have a cavity that requires a filling or an existing filling requiring re-treatment, contact dentist Dr. Vishal Advani and the team at Elk Grove Smile Center to schedule a consultation!