White Fillings
When a filling breaks, a tooth fractures around a filling, or decay gets under a filling, it must be replaced. You will not always experience pain or feel a hole in your tooth. Your dentist will take X-rays and may use a tiny camera in your mouth to monitor the integrity of your old fillings.
As with any traumatic procedure there is always a risk. More drilling may cause the nerve inside the tooth to become irreversibly damaged and need further attention. It is worth remembering, that with further intervention the cavity can only get bigger.
Well-constructed fillings should last for many years. You should expect between 7 and 15 years for a direct restoration. Reports would suggest that gold fillings, called inlays or onlays, made in the laboratory are the most successful of all, lasting up to 50 years.
No, but it is not unusual. The process of removing an old filling or decay is a traumatic one. The nerve inside the tooth can take time to recover. Severe toothache, however, would need urgent attention as on rare occasions the nerve is unable to recover and can become infected or abscessed.
Yes, in EU countries they should use, as we do here in the UK, only accredited products. Like all medical proceedures you must reassure yourself that the highest standards are met, as the costs of replacement could prove counterproductive. In reality even the very best dentists have failures and for this reason you may feel more comfortable having treatment closer to home.
On occasions, when an old filling is replaced or after removing tooth decay, the resulting cavity is so large that restoring the tooth directly in the mouth is impossible. This maybe because the direct filling materials are not strong enough or it is impossible to create the right contours and shapes for function and health.
A cap, sometimes called a crown, demands more tooth removal on top of that of the original filling. Only when your dentist advises you that there is not enough tooth to successfully rebuild your tooth or they are worried about tooth fracture, should you consider a laboratory made crown.
Not at all. All dentists are taught the skills required to provide tooth coloured fillings. The technique is however much more complex than a silver amalgam and most dentists will undergo extra training to ensure they are providing their patients the highest level of dental care. If you want white fillings doing well you should contact a BARD certified dentist.
No, they are not. The NHS guidelines do change but silver amalgams are the most common and readily accepted as the restoration of choice within the NHS.
Of all the fillings, white or tooth coloured fillings placed directly (and not made by a laboratory and glued in) are the most technique sensitive. Isolating the tooth from moisture is one of the keys to success and may prove difficult at the very back of the mouth. The skill and experience of your dentist can determine the filling materials that are offered to you.
In the right situation .. Yes! Some fillings however are very technique sensitive and your dentist may have a preferred option that works particularly well for them.
A silver amalgam can cost as little as £45:00. A tooth coloured composite may cost in the region of £200:00. When it is impossible for your dentist to rebuild your tooth directly in the mouth they may have to take an impression and have a porcelain or gold filling made in the laboratory. These restorations can cost from £450:00 to £700:00
There are different functional (biting) and cosmetic demands from front and back teeth. Some poeple have very strong bites and a standard silver amalgam or tooth coloured composite fillings are simply inadequate. Gold and porcelain (ceramic) may be a reasonable alternative in these situations or when the cavity is particularly large.