Tooth fillings are a fairly common thing. There is a very high probability that you have at least one filling in your mouth right now. The older you are, the more likely you will have more fillings in your teeth because teeth are not meant to last forever. They become weaker past age fifty, and even more so with each successive decade. In fact, there is probably a lot more you did not know about tooth fillings and tooth filling services. The following highlights everything you should know about tooth fillings but never asked.
Most Insurance Plans Only Cover Silver Amalgam
Silver amalgam is the cheapest filling type. Therefore, it should not surprise you when it is the only filling type covered by dental insurance. Only a very small percentage of dental plans are willing to cover other types of fillings, and even then, they only really cover tooth-colored resin fillings.
Other Tooth Filling Are Materials Available
Yes, there absolutely are other materials available to fill the cavities in your teeth. Most people are not aware that they have choices because they just go with whatever insurance covers. Since most insurance already pays for just silver amalgam, that is usually the only filling people get. However, you can request tooth-colored hard resin, porcelain, gold (yes, gold!), and a few other options if the dentist knows how to use them as fillings.
You Can Have Fillings Removed
You can absolutely have fillings removed. In fact, a lot of patients, upon discovering that they can get tooth-colored resin or porcelain instead of silver amalgam, ask their dentists to remove the silver amalgam and replace it with one of the tooth-colored options. The process is essentially the same as it would be if you were having a cavity filled. The dentist freezes your mouth, drills to remove the amalgam, and then fills it with resin or quick-setting dental porcelain. Fillings may also be removed if they have caused a tooth to crack and the dentist now wants to crown your tooth instead.
​Getting Braces and Tooth Fillings at the Same Time
If you need cavities between your teeth filled, but you are going to get braces to move teeth that are tightly packed together, you can do this simultaneously. As the dentist forces teeth apart to install brackets and wiring, he/she can fill the cavities. The nice part is that your mouth will be frozen so that you do not feel the pain and pressure of teeth being forced apart or feel the drill and filling process either.
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