Many are interested in how to fill a tooth. Currently, in the field of dentistry, many different substances are used for sealing. The article tells about what types of materials exist and what technologies are used depending on the location of the tooth, as well as how to fill the tooth canals.
Temporary constructions
As a rule, filling is used in the treatment and diagnosis. For example, with a doctor’s uncertainty about the presence of nerve damage, this particular design is used.
Temporary fillings used for therapeutic purposes most often contain drugs that require subsequent removal. That is, the temporary structure is not the one that will fall in a few days. It is removed by the dentist without any difficulties after a certain period of time.
Permanent constructions
Permanent fillings should stand on the damaged tooth for a long time, up to several years, or even decades. A seal that fell a month later does not fit any classification and is delivered in violation of the technology or without taking into account the mechanical load. Perhaps in this case it was more expedient to install a crown. Permanent fillings have many varieties.
Metal seal
Metal structures include various types of amalgam (alloy of metals and mercury).
Amalgam has a high degree of strength, especially on a silver base. Although recent research by scientists suggests that mercury adversely affects health.
Dental material has another significant drawback. It has a high coefficient of expansion. For this reason, often breaking away from the wall of the tooth, which is adjacent to the filling. Also on the downsides are the metallic luster of the material.
Amalgam fillings are less and less frequent, as the process is difficult or requires certain skills.
A remarkable property of the design is their unhindered setting on a damp surface. When using other materials, this effect cannot be achieved.
Amalgam hardening occurs 2-3 hours after installation. The next day she needs polishing. Such a seal costs a very long time.
Cement based fillings
Cement filling can be of different types. But the main models are phosphate-based devices. There are glass ionomer structures.
Phosphate filling
This seal is characterized by a low level of fixation and poor durability with a loose fit to the edge. To reduce this phenomenon, silver powder was added to it. This type has receded into the distant past and is not used in modern dentistry.
Glass ionomer model
This view was a breakthrough in the field of dentistry. Such material has much in common with the structure of the tooth itself. Fluorine was pressed into it, which prevents the development of secondary caries. The seal is perfectly attached to the tooth, but it is quickly erased.
Composites and plastic products
Composites and plastics are a wide group of models. The difference between composites and plastics is that they contain porcelain. Conventionally, they are divided into acrylic and epoxy.
Composite dental material has a high degree of strength, but contains many toxic substances, and also has many pores during polymerization.
The content of toxic substances can cause inflammation of the nerve in the tooth on which the filling is placed, and also, in contact with neighboring teeth, can cause tooth decay in them.
Epoxy models have great abrasion resistance, but are fragile. The level of toxicity is lower. The downside of the devices is that a few years after installation, they darken.
Light composites
They received the name helioplast. These are substances that polymerize under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Their color scheme is very rich.
Light composites are less shrinkage, but a similar problem is eliminated through the use of various technological methods.
Tab
How to fill a tooth with a tab? In fact, this design is a microprosthesis for sealing a tooth.
Currently, it is customary to distinguish between the following types of tabs:
- from whole ceramics;
- on a composite basis;
- plastic products.
A tab is a pre-designed seal model. It is attached to the tooth through composites.
There are two types of tabs:
- Modeled directly in the oral cavity, it is then removed, and a metal analog is cast in its shape.
- A tooth is drilled to the patient, then he is prepared, and a fill is made on the basis of the metal, porcelain or plastic.
Root canal filling process
How is the tooth canal filled? To prevent complications in the treatment of pulpitis or periodontitis, the root canals of the teeth should be properly sealed. Practice shows that the foundation of a quality process is proper preparation. Narrow channels need to be expanded with appropriate tools along the entire length from the top of the tooth to its root.
The main stages of root canal filling
The process involves the following steps:
- Removing tissue affected by caries. Healthy tissue can also be removed to create optimal access to the mouths of the root canals.
- Removal of pulp, crown and root parts.
- Processing channels mechanically. The channels expand to the desired size through special tools from the base to the top of the tooth.
- The final step in the process is root canal filling with gutta-percha.
- Then proceed to work with the crown of the tooth.
Accurate determination of the length of the dental canals is an important manipulation when filling. Incorrectly performed measurement can lead to the fact that the top of the roots will not be completely sealed and an inflammatory process will subsequently occur in it.
How are milk teeth filled?
How to fill a tooth for a child? The specifics of sealing milk teeth in children is based on its feasibility. The dentist takes into account the condition of the carious tooth, estimates the prevalence of the pathological process, clarifies the symptoms of bone tissue disease, takes into account the age of the child and only after that makes the right decision.
Before filling, the tooth is processed. The difficulty arises when a child is frightened by the sound of a drill. To eliminate this factor, a tooth cavity can be cleaned by air-kinetic, chemical-mechanical or laser methods.
Materials for fillings for primary teeth
How to fill milk teeth? Until recently, primary teeth were filled with amalgam or glass ionomer based material. Both substances have a high degree of strength. However, the first, as already mentioned, is toxic and corrodes. The second type has greater aesthetics, but is sensitive to moisture, and its hardening occurs throughout the day.
The use of composites in children was previously difficult, since they harden for too long.
Light-curing composites are currently being produced, which are characterized by short-term condensation. Composites are more hygienic, durable and aesthetic.
The last novelty in the filling of primary teeth was colored fillings. They are called compomers. Such models include glassomer cement and a hybrid composite. The properties of both complement each other.
Such a filling is characterized by a high level of adhesion, is easily polished and combined with a tooth. It is resistant to saliva and mechanical damage.
The palette of such models includes seven color schemes. Filling of milk teeth turns for the child into an interesting game.
Features of the filling of primary teeth
Dental treatment of the child’s teeth , in principle, does not differ from the sealing of teeth in adult patients. It should be noted that the restoration of temporary painters is carried out using preventive fillings. That is, not only the affected area, but also healthy fissures are closed with artificial material. In case of eruption of temporary painters, to prevent the development of a carious process in the fissure area, sealing is also recommended.
Is it possible to fill a wisdom tooth?
As already noted, most often, teeth affected by caries or pulpitis are subject to filling. These diseases affect absolutely all teeth, but, as a rule, the pathological process develops on premolars, molars, and also wisdom teeth.
What to do with the eighth molars? Is dental treatment recommended? The clinic can be different, but it should be noted that filling a wisdom tooth is not carried out so often. As a rule, doctors recommend removing the affected molar, but sometimes the patient insists on its preservation.
In what cases is a wisdom tooth filling justified?
Do wisdom teeth fill? In what cases do doctors resort to the restoration of the eighth tooth?
There are a number of reasons:
- In the absence of adjacent teeth (if there is no seventh or sixth tooth in the row, or in the near future they must be removed), dentists advise to preserve the wisdom tooth and seal it.
- The eighth tooth may be needed if the patient decides to restore the missing teeth in the row using a bridge. The wisdom tooth in this case will become a support for the design. Without his participation, restoration of teeth using a bridge would be impossible. You will have to resort to more expensive options, for example, installing an implant with a crown. And the point is not only that the cost of such a design is high. For some groups of patients, it can be dangerous. First of all, it is not recommended to install it for elderly patients and those who have a problem with bone mineralization or blood clotting.
- In the presence of an antagonist tooth. Antagonists are teeth that are opposite to each other. Eights located on the upper and lower jaw are antagonist painters. Such pairs cannot be destroyed, since the load and resistance will be reduced in relation to the remaining tooth. As a result, the tooth may shift and go beyond the dentition.
- With the likelihood of losing the remaining teeth. Despite the fact that wisdom teeth carry a lot of inconvenience, sometimes they can bring benefits. For example, when performing a complete prosthetics. An elderly person loses a lot of teeth. Sometimes eighth molars remain. They appear much later, and the chewing load on them is much reduced. If you have wisdom teeth, you can install a prosthesis, and eighth teeth will serve as a support. Such a prosthesis lasts longer, and the cost for it is somewhat lower. In this case, the decision depends entirely on the patient, and the dentist can advise little.
Answering the question whether a wisdom tooth should be sealed, a doctor can give a positive answer only if there are three of the above reasons. In other cases, it is recommended to remove it. If filling is required, then it is carried out according to the standard method.
How are the front teeth sealed?
How to fill a tooth located in front?
Front teeth are also often decayed by caries. The reason for this phenomenon may be malnutrition and non-compliance with the rules of oral hygiene. Usually carious process is expressed in a dark spot of small size. More often, the process develops on the inside of the tooth or between two teeth. Sometimes the pathology is barely noticeable. However, it should be noted that the front teeth contain insufficient dentin, and the growth of such a spot occurs quickly. The main thing in this case is the timely filling, until the process has taken a deeper form.
Methods of filling the front teeth
How are front teeth filled? When it comes to sealing the teeth located in front, the aesthetics of the filling substance is put higher than its functionality, since the front ones take on the minimum load when chewing food. This explains that light-curing fillings are used to seal the front teeth. They allow you to restore the natural shape and color of the enamel.
There is also a more expensive method of filling - restoration of the front teeth with ceramic-based fillings. Outwardly, they are no different from natural enamel, so they are absolutely not noticeable to the prying eye. This material exhibits higher resistance to external influences.
It should be noted that the production of a fill by impression takes a lot of time, so this method is applicable only in cases where the tooth has undergone severe damage, and the use of conventional light fillings is impractical.
Does filling cause pain?
Is it painful to fill a tooth? In immemorial Soviet times, dental treatment brought discomfort. Over the past decade, dentistry has made a huge breakthrough. Today, the dental office does not cause patients any fear.
Medicine offers a wide selection of anesthetics for dental treatment. There are drugs that are suitable even for people with allergies. Only two injections into the gums - and the patient loses sensitivity to external influences for a rather long time, and the unpleasant sensations that have arisen after the anesthesia has passed can be stopped with the help of modern painkillers.
How to care for the seal?
Many are interested in how to care for their teeth.
It is desirable to polish the seal. A well-established filling does not require any specific care for the oral cavity, but forces you to carry out the usual daily procedures with greater care.
In this case, you should pay attention to several indispensable rules:
- At least once a year, you should visit the dental office.
- We recommend regular oral hygiene. Filled teeth require additional care.
- You should carefully monitor the level of quality of the seal. An ideal seal does not cause any discomfort.
- It is desirable to polish the seal. This is a special procedure carried out by the dentist once every 6 months with regular medical examination. This technique extends the life of the structure and prevents the destruction of the walls of the tooth.
As for the care of the filling during the first week after sealing, the dentists give the following tips:
- During brushing, bleeding may occur. This is not a disease; rather, it can be called a natural manifestation of treatment. If bleeding does not stop within 4-5 days, then you should seek the advice of a specialist.
- For a few days after filling, you should adhere to a certain diet: do not eat foods containing chemicals, temporarily abandon the consumption of tea, coffee and alcohol.
Compliance with recommendations and attentive attitude to the state of one’s health helps to prevent loss of fillings and helps prevent other diseases of the oral cavity.