Traditionally, gold is used to fill teeth that have cavities. While polymer fillings have become the standard in tooth fillings, gold still remains one of the best substances for correcting cavities. Gold is a unique metal that is soft enough to not damage any surrounding teeth, but also strong enough to keep its shape for many years. There are some disadvantages to gold fillings, such as the materials used to compose the alloy.
History
In the 1840s gold was used in dentistry work by condensing small gold foils into coils, which were placed on the teeth of patients. Gold coils were difficult to place on teeth and gold fillings required adhesive. During the Civil War gold fillings here the most popular form of filling a cavity.
Significance
Gold fillings are much stronger than comparable materials. When you have gold fillings, you can expect them to last at a minimum of 15 years with proper oral care. Since the durability of gold is much stronger than a polymer filling, patients are able to eat any food they wish without the worry of loosening the filling. Gold fillings are often requested by patients for their aesthetic appeal.
Types
There are two main types of gold fillings you will encounter at the dentist. These include gold inlay and gold onlay fillings. The differences lies in how they are placed on your tooth. With the gold inlay filling, the dentist places the filling on the biting surface of your tooth. Inlays are normally very small, but often are placed on the most used surfaces of your teeth. Gold onlays are much larger than inlays and are used when a large portion of the tooth has become eroded due to cavities. Gold inlays and onlays are custom made by the dentist and are set in place by the use of dental cement.
Considerations
Gold is one of the strongest materials used for dental fillings. Gold fillings require more work on behalf of the dentist, and thus the prices of these fillings are much higher then for plastic resins and silver fillings. Gold fillings also take much longer to produce, and several visits to the dentist are required for tooth moldings and fittings. Yet, gold fillings will last at least a decade more than their cheaper counterparts.
Warning
Gold fillings are visible to the eye, making placement of these fillings very important. The dentist will recommend gold fillings for your teeth if they will not be visible when you smile or talk. Restoration of gold fillings is considerably more expensive then that of its counterparts. Because of this, it is important that you take extra care of your filling to ensure that its placement is secure and does not come loose.
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