FAQ Topics:

• Fillings & Restorative Materials
  
• Dentures
  
• Decay & Disease
  
• Children
  
• Brushing & Tooth Whitening
  
• X-rays
  
• Bad Breath
  

1. When I have a tooth filled, how long will I be numb?
   

   For the upper jaw, the anesthetic will last between 1 and 2 hours while in the lower jaw it can last more than 2 hours.

2. Can I eat after a filling is placed?
   

   If you have a silver filling placed, it is not advised to eat until the anesthetic wears off and then to chew on the other side of your mouth for the first day after the filling is placed. Silver fillings need a full 24 hours to completely harden in the mouth. On the other hand, if a white filling is used, again wait until the anesthetic wears off, and then you can chew on either side of the mouth without fear of the filling being damaged.

3. Are dental amalgam filling materials safe?
   

   Amalgam (silver fillings) are safe and have been the most commonly used filling material worldwide for over 100 years. Recent scientific studies have failed to find any link between the user of silver fillings and any medical disorder. In some rare instances, some individuals are allergic to amalgam fillings. Fewer than 100 cases have been reported in dental literature. In these rare cases, mercury in the silver filling may trigger the allergic reaction. The symptoms are very similar to a typical skin rash. Individuals with a confirmed allergy to silver fillings also have medical or family histories of other heavy metal allergies. If one has a confirmed allergy, other restorative materials can be used.

4. Are there filling materials which match the color of my teeth?
   

   Dentists use cosmetic plastic filling materials called composite resins made from a glass-like material, silica, and a plastic. This material is used as a direct filling material and to repair defects in teeth. As they are tooth-colored, they can match the color of individual teeth very well and it is difficult at times to distinguish them from our own natural tooth color. Most often they are used on the front teeth of the upper or lower jaw where esthetics is very important to the patient. They are becoming more commonly used on the back teeth, depending upon the size of the filling and the amount of dental decay.

5. When can dental porcelain be used to restore my teeth?
   

   Dental porcelain is used to make tooth colored veneers (coverings to mask defects and poor color of teeth), crowns, inlays, and the artificial teeth of bridges (fixed partial dentures). It is a very natural looking material which is made of a strong glass-like substance and can be shaded to match very closely the natural teeth. Crowns or fixed partial dentures can be made entirely of dental porcelain or strengthened with a metallic inner core. In some cases, porcelain, which is harder than the natural tooth enamel, will wear the opposing teeth.

   Consult your dentist if dental porcelain crowns and bridges are suitable for your treatment.

6. Are there other materials used to restore teeth?
   

   Custom-made dental restorations are commonly made in a dental laboratory from a combination of materials called alloys. Alloys can be made from precious metals such as gold and platinum or palladium and have a gold-like color, or they can be made from non-precious metals such as nickel or chromium which are silver in color. These restorations are very durable in the mouth and do not wear the opposing natural teeth.