What are Cosmetic Dental Fillings?

These are a type of dental fillings that are used to treat tooth decay and to restore a damaged tooth. These are tooth-coloured or white in colour closely matching the natural tooth colour in both colour and appearance. They are also called White fillings or Tooth Coloured Fillings.

Cosmetic Fillings can blend with the patient’s teeth seamlessly. This makes it a good choice to be used for changing the size, colour, or shape of the teeth. They can also help close the gaps between teeth, repair chipped teeth or make the teeth appear straighter and evener. In some cases, they are also used to replace the old silver amalgam fillings.
The earlier option of silver amalgam filling had the health issue of including mercury. That is why Dentists prefer Direct White Fillings. This is inserted into the patient’s tooth directly. This is an immediate or direct form of treatment and is ideal for people with a small amount of decay. Its white appearance and its close resemblance to the natural teeth make it a preferred choice for Cosmetic Dentistry.

Advantages of Cosmetic Dental Fillings

Cosmetic Fillings have quite a few advantages as given below:

• They are more likely to match the patient’s natural tooth colour and appearance.
• They do not need slots, grooves or pins while being placed in the patient’s healthy teeth. This is because they bond chemically to the patient’s tooth structure.
• Their bonding to the teeth restores nearly 85%-95% of the teeth’s original strength.
• They harden at a faster rate when exposed to a blue light of certain wavelength, in seconds, when compared to other materials.
• The patient will experience little to no pain or sensitivity at all.

Cosmetic Dental Fillings Placement Procedure

The placement procedure starts with the dentist removing all tooth decay that was present. If the tooth decay had spread below the tooth’s enamel layer, then the patient would need to be numbed or provided anaesthetic.

The dentist will then isolate the tooth using a rubber dam. Next, the dentist will then clean the tooth and apply a primer to the area that is being restored. This is done to open the pores in the enamel and dentin. The dentist will then apply a bonding agent and cure it so that it can stick to the cosmetic filling material.

The dentist will then place the cosmetic filling material inside the tooth and shape it to resemble the natural tooth of the patient. Then a strong curing light is used to harden it. As the filling hardens, the dentist will then check the patient’s bite to ensure the teeth fits together properly. Some adjustments might be necessary for a perfect fit. The new filling will then be smoothened and polished to give it a clean, white look that will match the natural teeth.

Authored by DR.NIRANJAN P