Dental Health Information – Caries, Lesions, Sealants, and etc

Dentist Sealants – Advantages and Disadvantages

Modern dentistry offers a wide selection of dentist sealants. Many patients are interested in what dental fillings are made of. We will consider the main differences, advantages and disadvantages of filling sealants.Dentist Sealants - Advantages and Disadvantages

Amalgam sealants

  • Material: an alloy of silver, tin, zinc, copper and mercury. Mercury makes up almost 50% of the alloy.
  • Installation mode: traditional (Non-Adhesive).
  • Used for: filling of grinding teeth.
  • Shelf-life: at least 10 years, usually longer.
  • Price: the cheapest type of filling materials.

Advantages

  • Strength and durability of the material;
  • It handles high loads (e.g. when chewing);
  • Cost is lower than other options;
  • It is enough to visit the dentist once.
  • The material is less sensitive to moisture during installation than the composite.

Disadvantages

  • The color of the metal fill sharply contrasts with the enamel of the tooth. Amalgam fillings corrode and darken over time;
  • A visible boundary appears between the filling and the tooth;
  • A traditional (non-adhesive) dentist sealant is not glued to the tooth;
  • To set up this type of filling, the dentist significantly expands the cavity in the tooth, since mechanical retention of the filling with notches or protrusions is required;
  • Some patients may be allergic to mercury;
  • The greatest concern for patients is the presence of mercury in the filling and its possible negative effect on the body.

Composite fillings

  • Material: resin-based, with ceramic or porcelain filler;
  • Installation mode: direct and indirect. In the direct method, the dentist restores the carious cavity directly in the mouth with light-cured composites. The sealant material hardens as a result of a chemical reaction, or under the influence of ultraviolet light;
  • In an indirect method, the dentist processes the cavity of the tooth and takes a cast, then closes the cavity with a temporary filling. The cast is sent to the laboratory, where this material is modeled. At the second appointment, the dentist removes the temporary filling and fixes the composite tab on a special cement.
  • It is used for: small and large cavities, especially for front teeth or visible parts of teeth; as well as for tabs;
  • Shelf-life: not less than 5 years;
  • Cost: more expensive than amalgam, but cheaper than gold.

Advantages

  • The filling and the tab correspond to the teeth color;
  • A sealant can be delivered in one visit. The tab requires two visits to the dentist;
  • Composite fillings form a strong connection directly with the tissues of the tooth. This provides greater strength than amalgam;
  • It takes less to drill a tooth than for an amalgam fill. There is no need to form a cavity for retention of the sealant inside. The strength of the sealant is achieved by exposing each layer;
  • With an indirect installation mode, composite fillings and liners are heated. This stage makes them stronger;
  • The composite resin is sometimes combined with other materials, such as glass ionomer, to take advantage of both materials.

Disadvantages

  • Composite fillings are more expensive than amalgam fillings;
  • Modern composites have become more durable and more resistant to use it. But it is not yet clear whether they can handle the same load when chewing, like amalgam fillings;
  • Shrinkage. When the sealant from the composite hardens, it decreases in volume. Gaps are formed between the tooth and the filling. This can lead to the appearance of carious cavities in the place where the filling departs from the tooth wall. The risk of shrinkage is reduced if the dentist installs the filling gradually, in thin layers.
  • Layered installation mode takes longer. Accordingly, the cost of the dentist’s work increases.
  • Indirect insert placement requires at least two visits if the dentist does not make the insert on the same day while you wait. Typically, the dentist takes an impression on the first appointment and sets the seal or tab on the second.

Gold dental sealnats

  • Material: malleable gold alloy;
  • Used for: tabs and onlays, crowns;
  • Shelf-life: at least 15 years, usually longer;
  • Cost: more expensive than most other materials; 6-10 times more expensive than amalgam.

Advantages

  • Gold is not subject to corrosion;
  • Some people like the color of gold more than the silver color of an amalgam;
  • Gold fillings are strong enough to handle loads when chewing. They last longer than any other filling materials.

Disadvantages

  • You need to visit the dentist at least twice to install a gold sealant. At the first visit, the doctor will take a cast of the tooth and put a temporary filling. A seal will be made of gold. It will be installed at the second appointment;
  • The price is high due to the high cost of gold and work;
  • If gold and amalgam fillings are close in the mouth, an electric current may occur between them as a result of the interaction of metals and saliva. This can cause discomfort in the mouth (the so-called “galvanism”);
  • Gold fillings do not match the teeth color.

Ceramic filling

  • Dentists call such constructions not fillings, but ceramic inlays;
  • Material: most often ceramics;
  • Used for: tabs and onlays, crowns, veneers, implants and orthodontic braces;
  • shelf-life: over 7 years.
  • Cost: more expensive than composite and even gold fillings, depends on the type of sealant.

Advantages

  • Ceramics match the teeth color;
  • Ceramics are more resistant to staining and abrasion than composite resin.

Disadvantages

  • Ceramics are more fragile than composite resins; chipping is possible on it;
  • The ceramic inlay or overlay must be large enough to not break. Therefore, the tooth is reduced in size to make room for the ceramic material.

Glass ionomer

  • Material: acrylic resin and a glass-like filler called fluoroaluminosilicate;
  • Installation mode: Light-curing is not used in a traditional installation. Composite glass ionomers with resin and hybrid fillings are stronger than traditional. Such a sealant is installed in layers using bright blue light.
  • Usage: glass ionomer cements are most often used for tabs, as well as for fillings of front teeth, around the neck of the tooth or root. As a filling, the glass ionomer is usually suitable for patients with caries that have spread under the gums (root caries). Glass ionomer is also used for filling children’s teeth and as an insert for other types of fillings.
  • Shelf-life: 5 years;
  • Cost: comparable to composite resin.

Advantages

  • The glass ionomer is consistent with the teeth color, but not always as good as the composite resin. Resin-modified glass ionomer is usually better in color than traditional glass ionomer.
  • The glass ionomer releases fluoride ions and thereby protects the tooth from tooth decay.
  • The glass ionomer adheres tightly to the tooth. This provides caries prevention.

Disadvantages

  • Conventional glass ionomer is less durable than composite resin. It is more prone to aging and cracks.
  • A traditional glass meter does not match the color of the teeth as accurately as a composite resin.
  • Resin-modified glass ionomer must be applied in thin layers. Each layer hardens under the influence of a special bright blue light. Then the dentist adds the next layer. This technique makes the tooth stronger, but increases the dentist’s working time.