Once in a lifetime, almost everyone suffers from tooth decay. It’s one of the common dental problems, which leads to many other problems if not treated properly on time. Cavities happen due to harmful bacteria attacks. The bacteria release acid that slowly destroys the tooth enamel, causing a hole in the tooth.
Many dental treatments are available for tooth decay but the simplest option is tooth filling. In this, the dentist drills and removes the decayed parts from a tooth and fills the space with a substance like silver, gold, or composite resin.
Based on the substance used, the treatment is categorized into metal fillings and tooth-colored filling. And shockingly, there is a huge fight between these two options. There are lots of things that people say about these treatments. Some prefer the former option, while some prefer the latter option. But according to us, a tooth-colored filling is better than a metal filling. We will tell you why?
Before we give the reasons, here is a brief about metal and tooth-colored fillings.
Tooth-colored filling
The tooth-colored filling is more natural-looking and less noticeable. It is usually preferred by patients when receiving routine dental care for decay towards the front of the mouth. Sometimes, they prefer tooth-colored filling on back teeth if the decay isn’t too severe.
The materials used for tooth-colored filling are porcelain/ceramic, composite resin, or glass ionomer.
Metal filling
Unlike a tooth-colored filling, the metal filling isn’t natural-looking. Also, it is visible to others. Traditionally, the metal fillings were made from amalgam. The common amalgam was the combination of silver, tin, copper, mercury, and zinc. Today, individual metals are used in fire fillings such as gold and silver.
The metals used for fillings are durable and considered safe by the FDA.
Reasons to choose tooth-colored filling over the metal filling
Dentists don’t need to remove much of your tooth’s structure
The tooth-colored fillings are so securely bonded during the tooth filling process that dentists don’t have to remove much of the natural tooth when placing the filling. On the other hand, dentists have to create a secure pocket for a metal tooth filling to ensure it stays in place. It means they have to remove lots of natural teeth for filling.
Are repairable
If there is a minor structural issue with a tooth-colored filling, a skilled dentist will only have to remove and replace the damaged part. Talking about metal fillings, repairing them is impossible. Even if there is a crack or hole in the metal filling, the dentists have to replace the whole filling.
Are aesthetically pleasing
As already mentioned, the tooth-colored filling is virtually invisible and natural-looking. It’s because the filling is shaded to adequately match the color of the teeth. So, a tooth-colored filling is aesthetically pleasing. On the other hand, it’s impossible to match the color of metal filling to the tooth’s unique color.
Now you very well know why the tooth-colored filling is better than a metal filling. So, choose wisely.