What are Direct Fillings?
Direct fillings are fillings that are done directly in your mouth. They are also called Direct Restorations. The fillings “fill” in and restore the damaged or lost part of the tooth structure. These filings are often done in a single visit unless there is deep decay and the depth, effect and severity of decay need to be reviewed prior to placing the filling.
Direct Fillings can be made of:
- Amalgam – these are the traditional fillings that appear silver in colour, contain mercury and appear grey, dark or silver. These fillings do not bond to teeth but need a cavity to be shaped to create a mechanical lock.
- Composites – these adhesive fillings are made of resin with fine quartz particles and come on a variety of shades, colours and tints to create lifelike natural fillings. Materials and techniques have evolved so much that they can mimic and match teeth really well. They can be used for front and back teeth fillings as well as bonding.
- Glass Ionomers – is a tooth coloured material often used where there is decay on the front surface back teeth as they are very adhesive. They release fluoride and thus prevent further decay in the area placed. Hence they are used as lining for deep fillings or for filling of children’s teeth.
- Compomers – are a hybrid of glass ionomers and composite restorations. They are often placed on front surface of back teeth, especially in areas of tooth abrasion and abfraction.
These days the most common restorations tend to be tooth-coloured and the most popular of them all are composite fillings. These filings are made up of resins and particulate fillers. The differences in various composites are usually down to the different filler sizes. However, regardless of which type of composite is chosen, they all have superior strengths, aesthetics and use of adhesive bonding techniques.
The choice of which filling type is appropriate is made according to information provided on radiographs (x-rays), visual examination and the amount of remaining sound tooth tissue. The biting forces is also something we take into consideration.
Types of filling | How long do they take? | Problems
Direct Fillings Procedure
- The tooth is first anaesthetized using a local anaesthetic.
- The tooth should be isolated from saliva and fluids by the way of a rubber sheet called a “rubber dam” for optimal sterility and adhesion.
- The cavity is then cleared of any infection. Alternatively, any damaged or fractured tooth is smoothed and cleaned.
- The cavity is then restored according to the Treatment Plan.
The choice of which filling type is appropriate is made according to information provided on radiographs (x-rays), visual examination and the amount of remaining sound tooth tissue. The biting forces are also something we take into consideration.
Benefits of Direct Restorations
- Easy to have done.
- Only takes a single visit.
- Realistic aesthetic shades are available
- Premium quality strong fillings available
- Uses bonding techniques to create good seals between the filling and tooth giving less chance for new decay to develop.
- Great for smaller fillings.
Dental Classification of Fillings
After the caries or damaged part of the tooth has been cleaned up, the remaining cavity is given a classification to allow dentists to correctly record the filling.
- Class I –restoration in a single surface of a tooth.
- Class II –fillings in a tooth surface in between teeth.
The Perfect Smile is here to help you with our direct filling treatment. If you have any further questions, contact us on 01992552155.
Next: Indirect Fillings.
Medically reviewed & updated on November 9, 2021
