A dental filling is a procedure to remove the diseased part of the tooth and fix the structural loss of a tooth as a result of a cavity/hole. The tooth could also need a filling if there is traumatic loss of a part of the tooth structure or a previous filling has been lost.
Types of fillings:
Restorations can be done directly in the mouth or indirectly.
- Direct restorations are usually done in one appointment. However, the success of these restorations is limited to the size of the fillings. When a large portion of the tooth is lost, indirect restorations may be the best option.
- Indirect restorations are fabricated by a dental laboratory and include inlays, onlays, crowns, bridges and veneers.
Types of filling material include:
- Composite resin (tooth-coloured material)
- Glass ionomer cement
- Porcelain/ceramic
- Gold