Cavity Filling Types and Costs

Hello, I'm a dental professional content writer with 10 years of experience. Today, we will take a detailed look at the types of cavity filling treatments and their costs, which many people are curious about. Cavities are a common oral disease that can affect anyone, regardless of age or gender. If left untreated, they can lead to severe pain, nerve damage, and even tooth extraction, making early treatment extremely important.

Cavity treatment goes beyond simply removing the affected area and filling it; its types, characteristics, and costs vary widely depending on the material used for 'filling'. With many factors to consider, from aesthetics to durability and biocompatibility, many people may feel overwhelmed about which choice to make. Through this article, I will clearly present the various types of filling materials, their pros and cons, approximate costs, and criteria for making a wise choice.

Cavities: Why Do They Form and Why Do We Need to Treat Them?

Cavities are a disease where the tooth surface erodes due to acids produced by bacteria in the mouth as they break down food debris, especially sugars. In the early stages, there is often no pain or only minor discomfort, making it difficult to notice. However, as it progresses, it causes sensitivity or throbbing pain, and if it deepens further, it can invade the nerve inside the tooth, leading to unbearable pain.

If left untreated, cavities can lead to the following serious problems:

• Pulpitis and Nerve Inflammation: If a cavity invades the nerve, it causes severe pain and inflammation, requiring root canal treatment.
• Tooth Loss: If the treatment timing is missed, it may be difficult to preserve the tooth, potentially requiring extraction.
• Surrounding Tooth and Gum Disease: Bacteria caused by cavities can also negatively affect surrounding teeth and gums, leading to gum disease and other issues.
• Worsening Systemic Health: Some studies also suggest that oral inflammation can affect overall systemic health.

Therefore, it is crucial to detect cavities early and receive appropriate treatment. The earlier the treatment, the simpler the procedure, the less tooth damage, and the lower the cavity treatment cost burden.

Cavity Treatment: What Material is Used for 'Filling'? Types and Characteristics of Filling Materials

Cavity treatment is a process of removing the decayed area and then filling the empty space with a biocompatible material to restore its function. The types of fillings, or restorative materials, used for this are very diverse, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. Let's take a detailed look at the main types of filling materials.

1. Amalgam: A Relic of the Past, Synonymous with Cost-Effectiveness

Amalgam is a material made by mixing metals such as silver, tin, copper, and zinc with mercury. It has been used for a long time and is covered by national health insurance, offering the advantage of being the most affordable cavity treatment cost.

• Pros: Low cost (covered by national health insurance), excellent strength, resistant to chewing forces, relatively long lifespan.
• Cons: Poor aesthetics due to its silver color, requires significant tooth reduction, controversy over mercury content (though it's generally accepted in academia that trace amounts are harmless to the human body, psychological aversion exists), sensitive to temperature changes, potentially causing micro-fractures in the tooth.

Recently, its use has significantly decreased due to aesthetic reasons and concerns about mercury.

2. Resin: The Trendsetter Combining Aesthetics and Functionality

Resin is a plastic-based material with a color similar to natural teeth, used to directly bond and fill the decayed area. It is one of the most commonly used types of cavity fillings recently.

• Pros: Excellent aesthetics, almost identical to tooth color, minimal tooth reduction, advantageous for preserving natural tooth structure, allows precise removal and treatment of only the decayed area, excellent bonding strength.
• Cons: Higher cavity treatment cost compared to amalgam (non-covered item), weaker strength compared to amalgam or inlays, potentially unsuitable for large molar areas, possibility of discoloration or wear over time, potentially shorter lifespan.

Since 2019, light-cured composite resin treatment for permanent teeth of children aged 12 and under has been covered by national health insurance, significantly reducing the cavity treatment cost burden for pediatric patients.

3. Glass Ionomer (GI): Effective for Pediatric Cavities and Temporary Fillings

Glass ionomer is a cement-based material that releases fluoride. Thanks to its fluoride-releasing function, it has the effect of inhibiting and preventing cavity progression, making it primarily used for deciduous tooth cavities, root surface cavities, and temporary fillings.

• Pros: Cavity prevention effect due to fluoride release, minimal tooth reduction, excellent adhesion to tooth structure, lower cavity treatment cost than resin (partially covered by insurance).
• Cons: Weak strength, unsuitable for areas with strong chewing forces or large cavities, less aesthetic than resin (opaque white), shorter lifespan.

4. Inlay: The Choice for Precision and Durability

An inlay is a method where, after removing the decayed area, an impression of the tooth is taken, and a restoration is precisely fabricated in a dental laboratory before being bonded to the tooth. It is primarily used for areas where the cavity is large or in molars that need to withstand strong chewing forces. Inlays are broadly divided into gold inlays and ceramic inlays, depending on the material.

Gold Inlay

A gold inlay is made of gold, offering high biocompatibility, excellent strength, and a wear rate similar to natural teeth, thus not putting stress on opposing teeth.

• Pros: Biocompatibility