In order to treat dental decay, fillings are placed within tooth cavities.
Their life span depends on the age of the patients, the properties of filling material used, and subsequent care for the tooth by the patient. In some cases, restoration may fail due to the decay of the tooth around the restoration site, in which case restoration should be replaced immediately. The replacement may have a shorter life-span than the initial restoration, and may harm tooth nerves – which results in a need for a root canal treatment.
Restoration Materials:
1-Composites Restoration:
Advantages:
o Natural tooth color
o Bond to tooth structure creating no need to enlarge the cavities.
o Can be used for both front and back teeth.
o Do not contain mercury (as opposed to amalgam restoration).
o Strong material which has good strength in thin sections.
Disadvantages:
o More expensive than amalgam.
o May shrink during setting, leading to temporary pain upon biting.
2-Amalgam Restoration:
Advantages:
o Less expensive.
o Long-term performance.
o Good marginal seal.
o Good physical properties.
Disadvantages:
o Metallic dark colored may turn to black.
o Brittle material, has no strength in thin sections.
o Affected by pressure and may lose its form.
o Does not bond to tooth tissues, thus need large box-shaped cavities.
o Contain and release mercury and other toxic metals into the body.
3-Glass Ionomer Cements:
Tooth-colored materials, due to their water solubility, they are only restricted to being bases beneath composites/amalgam, or as cement for gold and other casting fillings.
4-Cast Gold and other alloys:
Alloys are cemented onto teeth and are used to protect weak tooth structures due to their strength in thin sections. They are made using indirect techniques and require a lot of dental visits and highly qualified laboratories.
5-Porcelain and Zirconium Inlays:
They are constructed outside the mouth (require many dental visits and a qualified laboratory) and cemented into a prepared cavity. They are tooth-colored but expensive and brittle.
