1. Question: After cosmetic dental fillings are the teeth discolored? How long is the time?
Answer: The color of a cosmetic filling or, in other words, a tooth-colored filling depends not only on the appropriate color selection from the beginning but also on the relative color changes that occur over time. : both fillings and tooth structure can change color with age.
Although cosmetic dental fillings are increasingly improved with UV absorbers, anti-oxidants and therefore less discolored, tooth structure still endures a color change over time. time due to the darkening of ivory with age; Therefore, it is inevitable that the filling will change color inappropriately after many years.
In addition, it is necessary to distinguish true discoloration (as mentioned above) from discoloration caused by food, drink, or smoke. In this case, it is necessary to visit the dental office for cleaning and polishing.
2. Question: Why is the tooth sensitive after filling? What is the treatment?
Answer: If you don't include the main pain caused by the pulp disease that should have been taken before the final filling, a cosmetic dental filling that is sensitive after filling can be caused by the following reasons:
- Due to the pressure, the material is pressed into the sinuses when filling, causing dentin fluid to move in the dentinal tubules, causing pain.
- Because when irradiating the lamp to harden the drug, the composite tends to shrink towards the lamp head, creating a gap at the interface between the composite and the dentin, then dentin fluid fills the gap. Therefore, when chewing, chewing pressure causes the liquid to move, creating pain.
In these cases, a doctor will need to re-examine the filling and may require re-filling.
Teeth that are sensitive after filling need to be checked by a doctor
3. Question: The front tooth was injured by a hard object while playing sports, the tooth was discolored but not chipped. Please tell me the reason for the color change?
Answer: When a hard object hits the tooth, although the tooth is not broken or chipped, it can crack and the blood vessels that nourish the tooth (pulp) are broken, causing bleeding and the release of iron-containing hemoglobin. Hemoglobin combines with NH3 from decomposition and bacteria, and H2S produces a reddish-brown or black compound. These substances seep into the teeth, causing them to become discolored.
4. Question: The upper front teeth are about 2mm wide, is there a way to naturally fit them without braces or dentures?
Answer: Currently, with the advancement of cosmetic dentistry, the case of sparse incisors can be closed by covering part of the tooth surface with a composite layer of the same color as the tooth color. This layer of medicine will stick to the teeth with special glue in dentistry. This technique gives good aesthetic results and is less expensive. But it should be noted that you should avoid eating and biting hard things on these teeth to keep the fillings strong.
5. Question: The two front teeth are two dentures that latch onto the root of the tooth, after a while there is pain and swelling in the gum area of the denture, there is a small white protrusion on the gum, pressed at You can see cloudy yellow mucus coming out, sometimes nothing at all. Buy oral medication to relieve pain and swelling, stop taking pain medication and swelling recur. Ask: What are the long-term consequences? Is there any treatment without having to remove the old dentures?
Answer: As described, these two teeth did not receive root canal treatment or the treatment was unsatisfactory, leading to infectious complications, creating a pus-filled cavity in the apex of the tooth-bearing the denture. Although oral medications can stop swelling and pain for a while, this is highly undesirable for many reasons: the disease cannot be completely cured with medication alone, the disease will recur over and over again, and the pus pocket in the jaw bone will It grows larger and can damage nearby healthy teeth. Not to mention, self-medication (without a prescription) will lead to drug resistance, making it difficult to treat later, so it is advisable to visit a dental clinic for treatment as soon as possible.
About wanting to treat but not removing the dentures made, this can be done by minor surgery, but it is the doctor's decision based on the specific examination of the tooth condition (the closeness of the teeth). , color ...), overall health as well as oral health to get the best treatment.
6. Question: I go to a filling, the doctor usually polishes my teeth after filling. Is polishing necessary?
Answer: The filling must be polished after filling for the following reasons:
- Reduces the roughness of the contact between the tooth and the filling, as well as making the filling easier to clean.
- Reduces the chance of recurrent tooth decay.
- Prevents dullness and increases the gloss of fillings for a more comfortable feel.
Thus, although it takes more time, polishing the filling is necessary.
Depending on the filling material, polishing is done immediately (for composite fillings) or after 24 - 48 hours (for amalgam fillings).
7. Question: I have a lot of Amalgam fillings in my mouth, do I need to replace them with other materials? Is dental filling with Amalgam safe?
Answer: Amalgam is a sealant consisting of mercury with other metal-plated components such as silver, copper, tin... Amalgam is often used as a filling material for posterior teeth. Amalgam has been used successfully for more than 150 years and its quality has also increased over time.
If used correctly and correctly, Amalgam fillings are very durable and cheaper than some other filling materials. Doubts about the safety of Amalgam fillings are due to the presence of mercury. So are Amalgam fillings safe for health?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), so far Amalgam has still considered a safe filling material. Currently, there is no controlled study that shows that amalgam causes adverse health effects, nor is there any scientific evidence to support better health when all amalgam fillings are removed. mouth.
Thus, if there are no special aesthetic requirements and if the amalgam fillings are still in good condition, there is no need to replace them with other materials.