What is the best way to fill a tooth?

**Dental restoration** is one of the regular methods of dental treatment that helps to prevent the progress of caries in the tooth and to restore decayed, damaged or worn teeth.. Tooth restoration or filling is one of the best dental services that restores the function and improves the appearance of the tooth at the same time. Caries can be caused by the type of diet, lack of hygiene, hereditary factors, night feeding in babies or even factors such as teeth grinding. Decay left untreated can progress to the tooth nerve and cause pain and/or infection. Before filling the cavity caused by tooth decay, your dentist cleans and disinfects the decayed area, then removes the decayed tooth tissue and fills the cavity with filling material. Based on the discretion of the dentist, the filling material can be of different types, which we will introduce below and examine its advantages and disadvantages. At the end, we will answer some of your frequently asked questions. **Types of materials for tooth filling** There are various materials for filling or repairing teeth, which the dentist chooses according to the location of the decay and the size of the cavity caused by the decay, the location of the decayed tooth, and other factors that exist in dentistry. In addition to the scientific attention, filling teeth with tooth-colored or non-dissimilar material is also one of the facial aesthetic issues that is involved in this matter. Some of the materials used in dental fillings are the same color as the teeth and are generally used to fill teeth that show when talking and laughing. Tooth-colored materials include: - Composite - Ceramics - Glass ionomer. **Composite fillings:** The composite filling material is a combination of glass, quartz and silica based on resin. This material is more resistant than other tooth-colored fillings and its price is slightly higher than amalgam. Since the composite is made in the same color as the tooth, it has a great effect on the front teeth that are more visible in your smile. Among the advantages of composite, the following factors can be mentioned: - **Esthetics:** Composite is a material with the same color as the tooth, and filling the tooth with composite can create a good and uniform appearance in the tooth. This material is very suitable for filling teeth that are in front and are visible. - **Connecting to the tooth structure:** This composite filling material is connected to the tooth structure and becomes a part of the main tooth structure. - **Applicability:** In addition to being used as a filling material for cavities caused by caries, composite can also be used to repair broken or worn teeth. - **Preserving the original structure of the tooth:** Composites, unlike amalgam material, do not need to destroy and empty the healthy structure of the tooth, and the cavity space caused by decay is sufficient for placing the composite. Of course, in these cases, the expertise of the dentist is effective in maintaining the structure of the dental anatomy. **Amalgam is a black substance:** The black material for tooth filling, or amalgam, is a material containing mercury mixed with other metals such as silver, copper, tin, and zinc to form a stable and resistant alloy. It is important to know that amalgam has been used in dentistry for more than 150 years. The safety of dental amalgam is reviewed every few years by the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Hazards (SCENIHR) on behalf of the European Commission (EC). SCENIHR concludes that, based on current scientific evidence, neither dental amalgam nor alternative materials are harmful to the health of the general public. According to the European Union's environmental regulations on the use and disposal of mercury, from July 1, 2018, dental amalgam will not be used for certain patients and pregnant or lactating women except in special circumstances and at the discretion of your dentist. **Process and stages of tooth filling** Tooth filling is one of those dental services that few people are familiar with. Most of you probably even have one or two filled teeth in your mouth. But if you are curious to know how tooth filling is done exactly - The dentist first anesthetizes the area around the tooth using local anesthesia. - In the next step, the dentist removes the decayed area using dental equipment. - Once the decay is gone, it disinfects the tooth cavity from bacteria and debris to prepare the space for the tooth filling. - If the decay is near the root of the tooth, the dentist may first place a liner made of glass ionomer, composite resin, or other material to protect the nerve in the cavity. - After filling the tooth, he polishes and completes it and tests the degree of restoration in your tooth with a tooth chewing test. **Possible side effects of tooth filling** It is natural that any treatment has possible side effects for some time. Tooth sensitivity after filling usually goes away within a few weeks. It is also possible that the decay is very deep and close to the nerve. In these cases, dentists give the tooth another chance to avoid nerve extraction, but if the toothache continues for more than a few weeks, it may indicate that the tooth is no longer healthy and may need more treatment. Dental fillings are gone. Most fillers need to be replaced at some point. Regular checkups help the dentist identify decayed fillings. **What is the best material for tooth filling?** It is impossible to say for sure which dental filling is the best. The best material to fill your tooth should be determined according to the following: - **The degree of restoration and the size of the tooth cavity that is to be filled:** If your tooth cavity is large, you cannot use amalgam. It is better to use composite or glass ionomers to repair and fill these teeth. - ** Exposure of a decayed or broken tooth:** To choose the type of tooth filling material, it is very important whether it is visible or not. To restore and fill the front teeth that are visible when laughing or talking, tooth-colored filling materials are used to give a favorable appearance, but for the back teeth, the pressure tolerance factor is more important. - ** Exposure of the tooth to a lot of pressure:** If your decayed tooth is exposed to a lot of pressure during chewing or biting, very strong materials must be used to fill it. **Care after tooth filling** In order for your filled tooth to last as long as possible, you should pay special attention to some points: - If after filling the tooth, the effect of anesthesia still persists, avoid consuming very hot or very cold foods and drinks. - After tooth filling, avoid eating hard and sticky foods for a few days. - If you have a habit of grinding your teeth, use a mouth guard or night guard for a few days. In this regard, we have already published materials. You can refer to the article on tooth grinding. - **To maintain dental fillings and the overall health of teeth, you must observe oral and dental hygiene. You should regularly brush and floss your teeth with fluoride toothpaste.** - You can use antibacterial mouthwash at least once a day. - If you feel that there is a gap in the filling of the tooth, immediately tell your dentist to check its condition. If the tooth filling is cracked, saliva and food residues may penetrate between the filling and lead to tooth decay again.