1. Show Me Your Fillings
It used to be that when you opened your mouth in a hearty laugh, everyone within 20 feet could see how many filling you had. Old-fashioned fillings are made of silver. They have mercury in them and are called amalgam fillings. In addition to catching the light under a disco ball when they were new, they turned a darker black color over time. The other option for fillings was gold, which while it lasted a long time, can get expensive. If the cavity was in the front of your mouth, then you might have been willing to show off your wealth. Gold is still a popular filling material for many people
2. Smile Pretty
Composite resin fillings were a great boon to the dental filed as the filling material resembles natural tooth coloring and you can't see it unless you are a dentist probing with your instruments. The resin is made of a plastic derivative and is very durable.
3. Benefits of Plastic
While resin fillings are the best from a cosmetic standpoint, they also have other benefits. Amalgam fillings do release a tiny level of mercury in the bloodstream, which, while not seriously dangerous to most people, can be a health hazard for some. Resin can also be used to fill in chips and cracks and does not require as much drilling when applied. A composite resin filling should last about 10 years if you do not damage by eating heavy taffy and other gooey food that pulls even cement out of its core.
4. Pay for Your Fillings
Most dental insurance polices cover resin fillings now since they do last so long and are recognized as being superior to mercury-loaded fillings. The procedure to apply resin in drilled cavities spaces does take longer however, adding time to the dentist's bill. Check with your carrier before you give the dentist the okay to fill your teeth with resin.
5. A Glass Tooth
In some cases, dentists may use a resin made from acrylic and glass. These fillings are fragile and will not last as long as composite resin filling. Glass composites are used when the filling is very deep, below the jaw line. Young children often receive a glass filling composite because the filling is not expected to last long anyway and it releases fluoride to protect the tooth from further decay.
