Dental Fillings & Restorations

Types of dental fillings

There are many different types of dental fillings. But they all fall into one of two categories: direct or indirect.

Direct fillings

Dentists create and place direct fillings in your mouth without the need for a dental laboratory or temporary restoration. A direct filling only requires one office visit.

Common materials for direct fillings are:

• Amalgam (silver in color; contains mercury mixed with silver, tin, zinc and copper).
• Resin composite (tooth-colored; consists of a resin base with powdered quartz, silica or glass).
• Glass ionomer (tooth-colored; made of silica glass powder).

Indirect fillings

A dental technician must make indirect fillings in a lab before your dentist places them in your mouth. Most indirect fillings require two office visits — one to take dental impressions and another to place your restoration. If your dentist uses CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing) technology, they may be able to create and place your indirect filling in a single appointment.

Inlays and onlays are two common types of indirect fillings. Dentists use them when a tooth has too much damage to support a filling but not enough damage to warrant a dental crown. An inlay or onlay fits into your existing tooth structure like a tiny puzzle piece.

Common materials for indirect fillings include:

• Gold (gold in color; contains gold mixed with other metals like silver, tin, copper or palladium).
• Porcelain (tooth-colored; contains a mixture of minerals like feldspar, quartz and kaolin).

What happens during a dental filling procedure?

Exact steps can vary depending on the material your dentist uses and the type of filling they place. But here’s a general idea of what to expect.

A dentist will:

1. Numb your tooth with local anaesthesia.
2. Remove damaged or decayed tissue from your tooth using specialised instruments.
3. Fill the hole with dental filling material.
4. Use a dental curing light to harden the material (only for resin composite).
5. Polish and smooth any rough edges.
6. Check your bite to make sure it feels normal.

If you have anxiety about visiting the dentist, ask about sedation options. Sedation dentistry helps keep you calm and comfortable during your procedure.