Filling Aesthetics,
Composite Lamina,
Inlay, Onlay

Our teeth, which are the most important structures that make up our smile, can be damaged over time due to decay, fracture and damage. Dental filling is a form of treatment used to correct the loss of material in the teeth due to various reasons. These damages to our teeth are treated and repaired with appropriate dental filling materials.

In recent years, aesthetic (composite) filling materials have entered our lives within the scope of technological and scientific developments in the field of dentistry. Thanks to these dental filling materials, which are rapidly increasing in popularity, aesthetic dental filling treatment, which creates a more beautiful and aesthetic appearance on the teeth, has become increasingly prominent. The reasons for the use of fillings can be caused by caries, loss of material on the tooth due to trauma or aesthetic needs. Filling needs arising from these reasons are met with filling materials specially used for dentistry. Depending on the shape, size and age of the patient, filling materials with various and different properties can be used to replace the loss of material in the teeth.

Aesthetic dental filling treatment has become a preferred application primarily because it provides a more natural tooth appearance. Aesthetic fillings, also called white fillings, can be applied on both front and back teeth and the presence of a filling in the mouth cannot be understood from the outside. These fillings, which have a robust structure as well as providing an aesthetic appearance, are widely used today.

Aesthetic filling is an application performed on teeth that are damaged in some way (broken, cracked, decayed, etc.) or do not have an aesthetically good appearance (short teeth, gap between teeth, deformities in teeth, discolored teeth, etc.), with little or no abrasion, by covering the tooth surface with composite filling materials, so that the person has an aesthetic, natural and beautiful smile design.

The color of the aesthetic filling is prepared in harmony with the person's tooth color. Thus, after the aesthetic filling procedure, it becomes almost impossible to distinguish between the filling and the natural tooth. Thus, your teeth and smile are given an extremely natural and aesthetic appearance. In addition to providing an aesthetic appearance, composite fillings also allow the teeth to be used in a functional way because they are very strong.

Who Can Have Aesthetic Dental Filling?

Aesthetic filling has a wide range of application possibilities within the scope of dental treatment and dental aesthetics and can be applied to almost everyone. In this context

• Especially those who have a split tooth structure in their front teeth (diastema)

• Those with decayed and broken teeth in the front and back teeth

• Those who have yellowing of tooth color for different reasons over time

• Those who want to lengthen their teeth for a more beautiful and youthful smile aesthetics

• Those with mildly crooked teeth

• Poor development of tooth enamel layer (enamel hypoplasia)

• Those who want to have a more aesthetic and natural smile can have this application.

Due to the fact that amalgam type fillings contain heavy metals, create an ugly appearance in the mouth and disrupt dental aesthetics, aesthetic dental filling application has emerged. The reasons that make this application attractive today;

• Aesthetic tooth filling can be made in accordance with the natural tooth color and shape of the person,

• With aesthetic dental filling application, composite filling and natural tooth have the same structure that cannot be distinguished from each other,

• When viewed from the outside, the tooth and filling cannot be distinguished from each other,

• In addition to providing a beautiful appearance, aesthetic dental fillings are very robust, durable and long-lasting as a result of technological developments in recent years.

• It can be done in a short time and effortlessly without wasting time and the results can be seen immediately

• Achieving a beautiful smile aesthetics and a healthy tooth structure at the same time

• Can be applied to all teeth in the mouth

How is Aesthetic Tooth Filling Performed?

• Aesthetic tooth filling is an extremely easy and simple application and does not have great difficulties for the patient. It is a procedure that can be completed in one day and at one time without any serious pain and pain. Aesthetic tooth filling application is carried out as follows:

• The application area is anesthetized with local anesthesia.

• The decayed or damaged tooth or teeth to be filled with aesthetic dental filling are cleaned and brought to a healthier state.

• The color of the aesthetic dental filling is determined with the help of a color scale to best match the tooth color.

• The tooth is shaped to ensure that the aesthetic dental filling holds better.

• In order for the aesthetic dental filling to adhere to the tooth more strongly, beveling is applied to expand the surface area on the cavity.

• In the front teeth, the tooth surface is smoothed and then the bonding process is performed, which allows the dental filling material to adhere to the tooth. In the back teeth, the composite filling material prepared in the specified color is placed in the opened tooth cavities.

• In order to ensure that the aesthetic filling is more robust and reaches the desired hardness, radiation is applied each time.

• If necessary, protrusions and excesses are corrected and the aesthetic filling is made smooth.

• After all these processes are finished, the teeth are polished with polishing and the process is completed.

Thus, in one or two sessions in a few days, aesthetic fillers can be applied without too much trouble and a perfect smile can be achieved.

Are There Different Types of Aesthetic Dental Fillings?

There are more than one type of aesthetic dental filling with different application techniques. The preferred aesthetic filling method may differ depending on whether the tooth to be filled is the front or back tooth.

Bonding Application

• The most preferred aesthetic method for front tooth filling is bonding application. This application can be applied to all teeth. However, it is generally more preferred for the front teeth. The best aesthetic method that individuals can correct the gaps and slight distortions in their front teeth is the anterior tooth filling (bonding) method.

• Bonding aesthetic dental filling application is a type of treatment that can be performed in one go and in a short time. In this treatment; After choosing the appropriate color by taking into account the natural color of the tooth, the color of the teeth that will not be applied, tooth and gum color harmony, the current condition of the teeth is examined. Preparation application is performed on the teeth. The composite filling material (aesthetic filling material) to be applied is placed on the teeth in layers and the application starts. Necessary corrections are made and finally the process is completed by polishing.

• The main reason why this application is very successful and preferred very often is that the composite filling material used can show very similar properties to the natural tooth in terms of strength, color and appearance. This application is frequently used in smile design treatment.

Onley and Inlay Application

• It is an aesthetic dental filling method using porcelain ceramic filling material, also known as porcelain filling in the society and mostly applied to the back teeth. This method is applied on teeth where it is difficult to perform normal filling procedures and where there is excessive loss in the structure of the tooth due to tooth decay. Inlay and onlay aesthetic dental filling method is a type of treatment between normal filling and dental crown. It is a method applied in cases where there is not enough loss in the tooth to require a crown, but it is too large and risky to make a normal filling.

• The difference between these two filling types is related to the area of the tooth they are applied to and the size of the loss in the tooth. An inlay filling is used to repair damage to a specific surface of the tooth. It is similar to a normal dental filling and is used to treat dental tissue loss that occurs only between these mounds, not including the chewing mounds (tubercles) of the tooth. The treatment is completed by filling the gap in the tooth completely.

• Onlay filling, on the other hand, is a treatment method that includes the chewing mounds of the tooth and is more comprehensive than inlay filling. Both of these fillings cannot be applied directly by the dentist immediately. These aesthetic fillings are applied to the teeth after they are produced in the laboratory after special measurements according to the structure of the tooth and the extent of tooth loss.

• Inlay/onlay dental filling types are not as fast as bonding application. Since these fillings are produced in the laboratory according to the tooth measurements taken, the treatment can take two sessions.

• In inlay/onlay dental filling methods, in the first appointment, the decayed part of the tooth is cleaned as in normal dental filling. Root canal treatment is performed. Then the tooth and its surroundings are measured by digital modeling or with a material such as putty. The tooth is closed with a temporary filling. The impressions are sent to the laboratory and fillings are prepared. At the second appointment, the temporary filling is removed and the inlay/onlay filling is tested. It is then polished and bonded to the tooth.

• The advantages of inlay/onlay dental fillings are that they are stronger and long-lasting, do not require any extra care other than normal oral care practices, preserve the natural tooth structure as much as possible, and are more resistant to abrasion than other fillings.

• With this aesthetic dental filling treatment, in addition to the aesthetic appearance of the teeth, the functional structure of the teeth is restored and an important treatment is performed in terms of oral health.

What Should Be Considered After Aesthetic Dental Filling?

• After the treatment process, due to numbness in the mouth with the effect of anesthesia, food should not be eaten for 2 hours after the filling in order to prevent situations such as chewing and biting the tongue and lips. If necessary, only liquid or soft foods should be preferred.

• Since tooth sensitivity develops after treatment, acidic, hot and cold drinks should be avoided.

• Avoid excessively hard products that will cause fragmentation and fracture in the filling.

• Care should be taken for oral care.

• Especially if the anterior tooth filling (bonding) has been applied, you should avoid things such as tea, cigarettes and coffee that may cause discoloration in the filling for a few days.

  
  

Frequently Asked Questions About Composite Filling

• One of the most curious issues about aesthetic tooth filling is whether they are durable or not. Composite materials used as aesthetic dental fillings have gained a much more durable structure with the help of advancing technology.

• In terms of durability and the use of the functional structure of the tooth, there is no problem in aesthetic dental fillings. Therefore, we can say that aesthetic dental filling materials are as durable, robust and functional as natural teeth. When a very serious impact is received, these fillings can be cracked and broken, just as normal teeth can be cracked and broken. In this case, the filling can be renewed.

Is there pain after filling?

• It is normal to have pain after filling, provided that it is not too severe. Especially pain that occurs within the first 24 hours should be considered normal in practice. Small traumas caused by rotary instruments used as abrasives during filling can cause temporary reactions in the teeth. The chemical substances contained in the fillings to be made and the materials that allow the fillings to adhere to the teeth can also cause various reversible reactions in living teeth. The resulting sensitivity and pain are considered temporary.

Is there cold and heat sensitivity after filling?

• Cold and hot sensitivity that occurs after fillings, especially in teeth with deep and large material losses, passes within three to four weeks. For teeth whose pain does not disappear within this period, the physician may need to re-evaluate the patient and review the treatment.

Can a filling be done without a needle?

• Anesthesia in dental treatments does not affect the course of the treatment. Anesthesia is one of the applications that increase the comfort of the patient during the treatment. Anesthesia before the procedure prevents the patient from feeling pain during the treatment and ensures that the treating physician and the patient who has the treatment are comfortable during the procedure. The effect of anesthesia indirectly affects the treatment. The substances contained in anesthesia and the anesthetic effect it creates do not directly benefit the treatment.

• In cases such as very superficial caries, fillings that fall without new caries formation underneath, teeth that need to be filled due to fracture, filling can be done without anesthesia with the decision of the patient and the physician.

  
  

Should I change my amalgam fillings?

• All teeth and fillings should be evaluated at certain intervals and fillings should be replaced when necessary. There is no need to replace your amalgam fillings that you use healthily and your physician does not say that there is any problem. A healthy amalgam filling can stay in your mouth until it completes its task. Of course, you can replace amalgam fillings that are discolored and aesthetically uncomfortable.

Do composite fillings change color?

• Aesthetic fillings can also lose their properties and start to change color after a certain period of use. This color change can occur due to many reasons; such as the properties of the filling, construction techniques, abrasives and polishing materials used during construction. In the mouth, they can change color due to factors such as the patient's eating habits, oral care, etc. Composite fillings with color problems should be replaced.

How many years can a composite filling be used?

• Theoretically, a good filling made on the teeth of a patient with good oral hygiene should be able to be used for 4-5 years without any problems. These periods increase even more in patients who have regular dental check-ups and pay attention to oral dental health.