What Are the Signs You Need Tooth Fillings, and Which Type Best Suits Your Needs?
Despite maintaining excellent dental hygiene and visiting your dentist frequently for exams and cleanings, tooth decay is a problem that you must confront at some point. If you have cavities in your teeth, dentists restore your teeth with dental fillings and have your teeth feel as new. Unfortunately, if you don’t receive treatment for the condition quickly, you might have to deal with a more significant problem during your next dental appointment.
What Are Dental Fillings?
The dentist in Kearney, NE, uses dental fillings to close holes in your teeth resulting from tooth decay. The dentist initially removes the decayed portion of the tooth and fills the hollow space. Fillers are also helpful to repair broken teeth and teeth worn from teeth grinding.
Materials Used to Fill Teeth
Dentists use different materials to fill teeth depending on the extent of the damage caused by the cavity. You can have materials like silver amalgam, gold, plastic, ceramic, composite resin, and glass ionomer.
If you have a cavity on your molars, you benefit by having silver or gold fillings because they are incredibly durable and can handle the forces of biting and chewing without breaking.
Indicators That You Might Need Tooth Fillings
If you are unsure whether you might need dental fillings, you can schedule an appointment with your dentist to ascertain the need. If you cannot visit your dentist, the following symptoms are indicators that will let you know whether you need dental fillings.
If you have a tooth sensitive to hot and cold temperatures or throbbing pain in a tooth, it is a surefire sign that you need tooth fillings. Dental fillings also help if you are experiencing pain in a specific tooth when chewing.
If you notice food remaining trapped on a specific tooth while eating, it indicates you have a cavity or breakage that needs filling. Likewise, if you notice a hole or have an existing filling missing, you must have it restored as soon as possible from dental fillings near you. Similarly, fractured or chipped teeth also require dental fillings.
How Long Will the Fillings Last?
The filling material you have in your tooth determines its lifespan. Metal and gold fillings last the longest, remaining in your mouth for 10 to 15 years. While metal fillings are affordable, gold fillings are expensive and require multiple visits to the dentist’s office for placement. Ceramic fillings also have a durable lifespan of around 15 years. Tooth-colored composite resin fillings remain on your teeth for approximately five to seven years.
When you have a cavity or have suffered damage to your teeth, you must have them restored at the earliest by getting fillings before the injury or rot creates additional damage.
Do Dental Insurers Cover Fillings?
When visiting your dentist to get your teeth restored, dental filling costs will likely scare you and make you think about whether your dental insurance provider covers the costs. While dental insurers provide coverage for dental fillings, they restrict their exposure to the price of silver amalgam fillings, indicating that some expenses out of pocket are necessary.
Which Tooth Filling Material Best Suits Your Needs?
The extent of damage to your teeth determines the filling material Best suited for your needs. For example, if you have cavities on molars, you benefit from having silver or gold fillings if you can afford them. You can also have composite resin fillings on your molars if you prepare yourself to get replacements every five to seven years.
If you have a tooth in the aesthetic zone decayed or damaged, dentists recommend restoring it with composite resin fillings. Tooth-colored composite fillings are optimal for the front teeth because they do not impact your smile.
When considering the material for dental fillings for your teeth, it helps if you discuss your needs with the Kearney dentist for advice on the type of filling material you must have. The advice provided by the dentist prevents you from committing errors and choosing the wrong filling material for a specific tooth. When getting dental fillers, you must aim to get your tooth restored without impacting your smile. Dentists are best equipped to guide you through the process and ensure you achieve your goal when restoring your affected or damaged tooth.
Platte Valley Dental Clinic provides dental fillings using minimally invasive techniques. After understanding the signs of needing fillers in your tooth, kindly contact this facility to get your teeth restored without delay.