Blog Coburg Dental Group

Fillings and crowns are materials used to restore damaged teeth. Fillings are ideal for minor decays. Crowns, on the other hand, are more suitable for severe decays or cracks in the teeth. Fillings and crowns come in different types.

Types of Fillings

• Amalgam fillings
• Cast gold fillings
• Tooth-coloured fillings
• Ceramic fillings
• Glass ionomer fillings

Silver Amalgam Fillings

Silver amalgam fillings have been around for more than a century. They’re made up liquid elemental mercury and a mix of alloys. Although these fillings are durable, lasting you at least 10 years, they’re not aesthetic. Moreover, they contain liquid mercury, an element known to cause adverse effects.

Cast Gold Fillings

Cast gold fillings are durable and strong. They withstand the pressure applied while chewing. Patients often prefer gold fillings to silver fillings because they offer better aesthetic value and are longer lasting. They’re more expensive than silver fillings, though.

Tooth Coloured Fillings

Tooth coloured fillings known as composite resins and other inert compounds, contain acrylic resin. They blend in with your natural teeth and withstand chewing forces very well. Usually less drilling is required for these fillings.

Ceramic Fillings

Ceramic fillings contain porcelain. A dental technician has to custom manufacture this particular type of filling. Ceramic fillings have stain resistant properties and they last for up to 15 years. The only downside is that they’re as expensive as cast gold fillings.

Glass Ionomer Fillings

Glass ionomers contain a mix of acrylic and glass powders. They’re generally used to fill cavities closer to the gum line. They can’t withstand chewing forces, so they’re ideal for cavities located closer to the root surface. If the dentist uses glass ionomer fillings, he won’t have to remove a lot of tooth structure. This makes it a good choice for paediatric dental procedures.

Choosing the Right Filling

The choice of filling depends on the severity of tooth decay, location of decay, and the health of the neighbouring teeth. Tooth coloured fillings are the most popular because they blend in with your teeth. So no one will ever notice the filling.

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are caps made of stainless steel,metal or gold, alloys, or porcelain. If the tooth is too weak to function normally, the dentist will generally fix it using a dental crown. Crowns are either temporary or permanent. Stainless steel crowns are ideal for temporary purposes. They’re mostly used on children’s teeth.

Metallic crowns last longer, but they’re better suited to teeth located at the back of the mouth. This is because they lack aesthetic value. Porcelain fused to metal crowns or all-ceramic crowns are perfect for teeth located in the front of the mouth. They blend in well with the rest of the teeth and they restore weakened, damaged or chipped teeth.

The latest crowns available are zirconia crowns. They are digitally fabricated using computerised software. If your dentist has the software and the materials at the clinic, he can make one for you in a single visit. Which means you won’t have to wear a temporary crown between dental visits.

Family Dentistry with a  Smile

If you need fillings or dental crowns, stop by the Coburg Dental Group. We have a wide range of dental fillings, crowns, and dental implants in Coburg. Our trained staff and experienced dentists use the latest technologies for tooth restoration, root canal therapy and tooth extraction.

We’ve been around for more than 80 years and specialise in general, preventive, and laser dentistry. Talk to one of our friendly associates to find out more about dental crowns and fillings, or swing by for a stress-free consultation with one of our experienced dentists in Coburg.