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I had a filling the other day to fix a soft spot (defect) I have always had in one of my front teeth. while I was at the dentist i mentioned that after I get my braces off I want to maybe fix some structural/cosmetic problems and possibly have my teeth whitened. I asked because I know it is going to cost alot and wanted to know how much I need to save up. I still have about 2.5 years left in braces so it gives me time to plan ahead.
He pointed out the teeth he thinks we should work on then lectures me about there not being any need to whiten my teeth because even one shade lighter will look "unatural" and that my teeth are already "very" white. Bottom line is they will not whiten my teeth. Not that that bothers me much but it makes me curious just how white my teeth really are. They used and A-1 color composite for the filling but what does that mean?
Before and after of the tooth i got fixed. BYE BYE old snaggle tooth!
PS after a week w/o my wire I am so ready to have it back in tomorrow.
Extract #3 6/07 implant 10/07
Upper Molar bands
Bite Plate 12/12/05-5/20/06
spacers all lower arch first 10 weeks
Braced 12/12/05
New ortho 2/8/07
If you want details I am more than happy to explain the shade guides. But they range from A1-A4, B1-B4, C1-C4, and D1-D4. Each shade corresponds to different blends of Hue, Value, and Chroma. A1 is very white. With the popularity of whitening some guides actually go "lighter" these days. But A1 is about as white as you will find on natural teeth.
So they colors are sort of like density and hue saturations in color photography. Nifty to know. I hadnt relized my teeth were that white but no wonder he acted like i was nuts to even consider whitening. I am paranoid about my teeth being yellow like my moms, but i guess its not something i need to even worry about at all.
Extract #3 6/07 implant 10/07
Upper Molar bands
Bite Plate 12/12/05-5/20/06
spacers all lower arch first 10 weeks
Braced 12/12/05
New ortho 2/8/07
Thanks for bringing this up, and I have a question along this line.
I have a filling on my front tooth, and it's certainly not white, more dark yellow lol. It became more noticable with occassional whitening products I used on my teeth before the braces.
The plan is to whiten when I get my braces off, and I don't want to have a yellow patch on the top. How do you coordinate something like that with the dentist and is it usually possible for them to redo the filling in a lighter shade than what was originally used?
jcdamon3, With posterior composites, most dentists will not try and match the color perfectly. The reason is that if you match the color too well, it can be very hard to monitor the margins (edge of the restoration) to make sure that it is sealed properly and wearing well. Access and vision are more difficult in the back of the mouth so by having a color that is not a perfect match you make your life (or whomever will be treating the patient in the future's life) easier. If you can't clearly see you may mistake recurrent decay at the margin for stain and leave it alone causing a bigger problem down the road. So chances are your teeth are not an A1. But who knows, some people do try and match posterior composites perfectly.
Dramagyrl, when you get your braces off go ahead and whiten till your hearts content. When you have achieved the level that you want then have your dentist replace the filling. Not a big deal, will set you back a couple hundred dollars as it is a cosmetic procedure.
My dentist tells me that Amalgam fillings need to be replaced every two years, because after that they are at a risk of cracking, but that composite last many. Hope that helps.
Amalgam is the "tried and true" material of choice for fillings. Depending on how big the filling is they can last a very long time (20+ years). Composite is a newer material and does not have the same track record (amalgam 100+ years of use and composite 30+ years). The biggest difference for wear is that amalgam is macro mechanically held in place, meaning that you drill the tooth in a way that the amalgam is lodged in. You then condense the amalgam into all the crevices and when it hardens it is lodged in. You need to take away more tooth in order to fit an amalgam. Composite is a liquid or paste that is placed into the prep and then a blue light will change the state and harden it. But you etch/prime/bond the tooth first before applying the composite so it is chemically bonded. The same way as your bracket is glued/bonded to the tooth.
Amalgam is metal so you have some issues. You drink coffee and the heat expands the filling microscopically. Then you have some ice cream and the filling shrinks microscopically. This hot/cold effect causes small voids at the margin which is where the filling meets the tooth. Over time saliva and other things in the mouth cause bacteria to creep up in there. Since there is no way to clean it decay will develop under the filling.
Composite is glued in so think of it as having a caulked edge to keep things out. You will find differing opinions as to the wear-ability of the two materials. You will see that most dentists that have "old school" offices tend to do lots of amalgams and most younger or more high tech dentists are composite only shops. And of course the rest are in between. There are advantages to both and you should be able to get good life out of either 15+ years if things work out.
I personally prefer composite in most cases as it is better and also more aesthetic which is important to patients. If your dentist insists on amalgam ask them when was the last time they saw a fractured cusp in a tooth that had a composite filling and when was the last time they saw it in a tooth with an amalgam.
Yup - raises hand. I had the fractured cusp with the amalgam and I think that is why he replaced it with composite. I believe the other reason that he did composite is that the filling is getting pretty big and he would have had to drill more of the tooth out for amalgam. Therefore I believe the correct answer was composite.
Thanks for the info!
I think I need the molar on the other side replace too and will bug him about that next visit. My teeth/fillings are really taking a beating from having the bite change.
i've got all amalgam fillings at the back (I have no fillings at the front) and the oldest of them must be about 32 years old and the youngest one is at least 20!
So they've done well! They don't look pretty, but at least being at the back means they only show if I do a huge yawn without covering my mouth or something!
I have 1 filling in a bottom bicuspid which is a little more visible than the others so I might consider having that replaced with a composite one once my ortho treatment is over.
I just got two fillings on my lower molars in the back (my wisdom and the second molar have fillings) I was given a choice of either type. I chose Composite Resin fillings simply because my husband has about 8 Amalgam fillings on his molars on top and bottom and they are now very,very dark. Also the fear of possibly getting some mercury in there is another reason. Some dentist here no longer use or recommend Amalgam fillings because of the mercury. My sister is allergic to it and almost had an Amalgam filling done without her consent. When she saw it was Amalgam she had to sit up and remind them about her situation. I havent heard any clear proven case that it is safe or unsafe to still use Amalgam. I chose Composite mainly because of the more natural look.
I have several amalgam fillings that I've had for 21 years. They seem to be doing okay, I've had no symptoms or anything, but once my braces are off I plan to have them all removed and replaced with ceramics so I have pristine looking teeth. I'll be so glad not to see those big, dark fillings anymore.
