How a composite filling is made? Dental filling prices, information
What should you know about tooth fillings?
We have summarized the most important information on our website about composite fillings and many related problems, so you can gain a thorough insight into the subject. However, before reading any further, we draw your attention to our other professional articles, where you can read about the causes of pain after dental fillings and find out what to do in the event of a dental filling falling out.
What is dental filling good for?
The aesthetic white tooth filling, which is also known as a direct restoration or composite filling , is used to restore a tooth with a hole or decay. Its great advantage is that it can be prepared in one step if there are healthy gums, it does not require background work in a dental laboratory, so it can be prepared in the dental office. Bleeding gums, in the active stage of periodontitis (gum disease), so in the case of inflamed gums, it cannot be performed in the correct quality. In such cases, the first step is always to make the gums inflammation-free by tartar removal (depuration).
Steps to prepare a filling
A composite restoration may be necessary if the tooth is damaged for some reason (carious tooth, broken tooth) and we want to restore the original aesthetics and function of the tooth with the new filling. The dentist should consider making an inlay, or in colloquial language, an inlay filling as an alternative to fillings. This is usually recommended for larger cavities.
1. In most cases, the treatment begins with anesthesia. Contrary to popular belief, dental fillings do not hurt, as they are performed under local anaesthetics.
2. This is followed by tooth preparation, tooth cleaning, and caries removal.
3. The surface of the prepared cavity is roughened (acidification) and treated with special adhesive (bond).
4. This is followed by applying the layers of the filling material. The composite fillings are placed in a soft form into the prepared cavity and then cured with a special wavelength of light (GC light curing filling).
5. Finishing step to adjust the height and polish the surface.
Advice from a specialist
The preparation of a dental filling is a routine intervention, which is performed under simple local anesthesia. Despite its simplicity, we can only forget about it after the intervention if we prepare it with great care. I believe that it cannot be made in 10 minutes in good quality, so I recommend you to take your time and choose the quality. If you need dental fillings, all you have to do is book a consultation with us.
Dr. Lili Farkas - dentist
There is a difference between filling and filling
Aesthetic filling is one of the most frequently performed treatments in dental practices. No matter where it is made, the basic steps are the same everywhere, however, when making really high-quality, long-term aesthetic restorations, even the smallest details also play significant role.
Time factor: quality work is only possible by spending the right amount of time. Even a dental filling that meets the minimally expected criteria cannot be properly prepared in 5-10 minutes. The dentists working at Helvetic Clinics spend exactly as much time preparing the fillings as is necessary to achieve the maximum professional standard.
Isolation: tooth-colored filling materials are very sensitive to moisture, quality work cannot be done with them in the salivary, moist environment of the gums. The best way of isolation is to use the cofferdam technique, when we sleeve the teeth to be treated through a perforated rubber sheet, thus excluding moisture during the treatment.
Materials used: the quality of the materials used is also a very important element in terms of the final result. There can be up to a five-fold difference in price between the products of the different filling manufacturer companies. The more expensive filling materials have properties (aesthetics, low shrinkage, wear resistance) that were unimaginable with previous white filling materials. In our clinic, we only use the products of the best-known Western European and Japanese companies.
Medical factor: in addition to the materials used, however, the medical factor has the greatest importance. The right professional approach is more than essential, even when creating a restoration. If the completed restoration meets all of our requirements, then it is more appropriate to talk about a restoration rather than a filling, which aesthetically and anatomically really copies the characteristics of our originally intact tooth.
In our practice, all interventions, including this intervention, are performed using a special magnifying glass (Lupe) so that no small detail can escape our attention.
When is a dental filling good?
- Appropriate form and function: the completed filling must be anatomical, which means that its shape must reflect the original shape of the tooth. We need to form ridges and grooves. We do not consider it permissible to make fillings with a flat, plain surface. The finished restoration must fit tightly to the adjacent teeth (contact point) so that food cannot get wedged between the teeth when eating. With the latter, we can prevent gum inflammation and caries from developing later.
- Accuracy: the completed filling must fit exactly into the formed cavity. The edge of the filling must not extend beyond it. The restoration prepared in this way will not lead to receding gums, gingivitis and discoloration.
- Color chosen with great care: the color of the restoration must match the color of the original tooth. In most cases, this can only be achieved by layering several filling materials of different colors and transparency, as our own teeth are structured similarly. There are also special paints that can be used to achieve an even more lifelike effect. The exact choice of color is the most critical when filling incisors, i.e. filling the first tooth, since this area is located in the aesthetic zone.
- The height of the dental filling: we place great emphasis on adjusting the "height" of the fillings we make. This is of great importance for the integrity of the masticatory joint. If a filling is too high, it will be the first tooth that will meet its pair on the opposite side each time it is closed, which can lead to overload and toothache. If, on the other hand, the final filling is too low, it is not suitable for properly participating in the bearing of the masticatory force.
- Polishing : it is important that the surface of the composite dental filling is smooth and high-gloss, so it is more difficult for bacteria and food coloring to adhere to it.
Aesthetic tooth filling instead of amalgam filling, or the material of the tooth filling
Composite white fillings are an attractive alternative to dark metal colored amalgam fillings . They can provide an aesthetically impeccable result, and their preparation involves sacrificing less tooth tissue than traditional amalgam fillings.
The advantages of aesthetic fillings are the disadvantages of amalgam dental fillings
- Research shows that they are healthier than amalgam fillings;
- Their preparation entails the sacrifice of less healthy tooth tissue;
- Its thermal expansion is smaller compared to amalgam;
- No galvanism, no metallic taste.
- Replacing the amalgam filling is a relatively cost-effective intervention that allows us to restore the natural appearance of the teeth, so our smile will be healthy and youthful.
The material of the tooth filling can also be dental cement, in which case a cement filling is made. The latter is usually used to build up polished teeth, to fill milk teeth, or to create a long-term temporary filling . A medicated filling is used when the cleaned cavity is located very close to the dental pulp.
Types of dental fillings, types of dental fillings
In addition to their raw material, dental fillings can also be grouped according to their place of making, their size and extent. The place actually means the tooth surface, and depending on the number of treated surfaces, we can talk about single-surface or multi-surface fillings.
The single-surface filling is most often made on the chewing surface, when it does not extend to the adjacent teeth. Collar fillings are also common and belong to this category. As the name suggests, "neck wear" or caries is treated during the preparation of the collar filling. When multi-surface fillings are made, the decay spreads to a second or third surface, so the size of the restoration expands.
What should we pay attention to after dental fillings?
It is important to know that you are allowed to drink after dental fillings , but eating after dental fillings is only recommended after the numbness wears off, as you may bite your cheeks if you do not wait for the numbness to completely disappear. There is nothing wrong with smoking after dental fillings , but we must be aware that changes in the oral cavity (gum disease, periodontal disease) can in many cases be traced back to the adverse effects of cigarette smoke.
What can I do if my jaw hurts after dental fillings?
Tooth sensitivity or jaw pain is also a common phenomenon after a composite filling. In the case of tooth sensitivity, it is definitely an important question whether you feel the prepared tooth filling high after the effect of the anesthesia wears off.
If so, please make an appointment as soon as possible for a control inspection so that we can adjust the high points (bite adjustment). After modifying the filling surface, the sensitivity usually disappears quickly. Without adjusting your bite, sensitivity can lead to jaw pain.
The sensitivity of filled teeth can occur even if the prepared dental restoration is not high. In these cases, the symptoms usually improve and disappear within 1-2 weeks. In the event that this does not occur and the symptoms intensify, request a control appointment, because root canal treatment may become necessary!
Dental filling prices, how much does a composite filling cost?
Dental fillings can also be categorized based on prices. The price of a white dental filling depends on the material and size of the filling. The different dental filling prices can be found at the bottom of the page or read on the dental prices pagegu. However, when considering composite filling prices, we definitely consider the above, since quality work requires time and expertise.
If you need dental fillings to restore your teeth perfectly, our specialists dealing with composite fillings are waiting for your application at 0539301323
FAQ - Frequently asked filling questions
Is there a harmful substance in the amalgam filling in my mouth?
When amalgam is made, mercury is used, which is a substance that is very harmful to health. However, it is important to note that after the amalgam filling is made, the mercury is in a bound form and only a minimal amount is released and enters the saliva.
How is it possible and allowed to eat after dental fillings?
After the restoration is made, when new light-curing filling materials are used, it is no longer the filling itself that determines when you can eat after filling. The time of eating depends only on the state of numbness. When the numbness is no longer felt, you can safely eat food. You can drink at any time after dental fillings.
What is the composition of the composite filling?
Composites were introduced in the 60's and their composition has changed a lot since then. Today's composites form a polymer system and are built up by three different components: organic matrix, inorganic filler and the binding phase that connects the two. Polymerization, i.e. the hardening of the material, takes place under the influence of light, in such a way that a light-sensitive element starts the process (initiator-accelerator).
How long can the temporary filling stay in the tooth?
Temporary fillings only provide security for the tooth in the short term. We distinguish several types according to their recommended period of use. A short-term temporary filling closes properly only for a few days or a few weeks.
It hardens as a result of saliva, after insertion. We also use long-term temporary cement preparations, their base material is a much harder cement.
Is it difficult to remove an amalgam filling?
Despite the fact that amalgam is metal, its removal is not at all difficult, in fact. Removing the plastic filling is often more difficult, as it is tooth-colored, so in addition to choosing a good color, it requires great care to separate it from your own tooth material. In the case of amalgam, there is no such problem. The removal of the metal filling requires a special carbide drill, if it is available, it can be easily removed.
Is the process of collar filling different from other fillings?
No, because the filling steps are the same in this case as well.
Amalgam or white filling, which should I choose?
Today, this question has actually lost its importance, since we no longer use amalgam. Instead, a light-curing composite restoration is made.
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