Fillings

Fillings are most often utilized by Dr. Hennington to reverse the damage done by tooth decay and restore the strength and durability of a tooth. Dental fillings are made from a variety of materials, including gold, porcelain, amalgam, and composite resin.

The strength and durability of traditional dental materials, like gold, porcelain, and amalgam, continue to make them useful for situations where restored teeth must withstand extreme forces that result from chewing, such as in the back of the mouth.

Newer dental fillings made of ceramic and plastic compounds mimic the appearance of natural teeth. These compounds, often called composite resins, are usually used on the front teeth where a natural appearance is important/

What's Right for Me?

Several factors influence the performance, durability, longevity, and expense of fillings:

• The components used in the filling material
• The amount of tooth structure remaining
• Where and how the filling is placed
• The chewing load that the tooth will have to bear
• The length and number of visits needed to prepare and adjust the restored tooth.

The ultimate decision about what to use is best determined during a consultation with Dr. Hennington. Before your treatment begins, he will discuss your options and explain the risks and benefits of each. To help you prepare for this discussion it is helpful to understand the two basic types of dental fillings: direct and indirect.

• Direct fillings are fillings placed immediately into a prepared cavity in a single visit. They include dental amalgam, glass ionomers, resin ionomers, and composite (resin) fillings. Dr. Hennington will prepare the tooth, place the filling, and adjust it during one appointment. Direct fillings are most commonly used to restore cavities.
• Indirect fillings generally require two or more visits, and are used when there is more advanced tooth decay. They include inlays, onlays, veneers, crowns, and bridges fabricated with gold, base metal alloys, ceramics, or composites. During your first visit, Dr. Hennington will prepare the tooth and make an impression of the area to be restored. He will then place a temporary covering over the prepared tooth. The impression is sent to a dental laboratory for the dental restoration to be created. At your next appointment, Dr. Hennington will cement the restoration into the prepared cavity and adjust it as needed.

If you are in need of a filling, an appointment with Dr. Hennington at our Georgetown, TX dental office can give you the information you need to make an informed decision. You’ll be on your way to an ideal state of oral health in no time!