Created 16/12/2023.

Today we are going to talk about dental resins or composites, a material with which many of us have been treated after some kind of treatment against a tooth or tooth decay.

Dental resins or composites are the material with which your dentist makes aesthetic restorations in some of the teeth that have suffered a type of damage and that, once free of the problem, is covered with resin to make it aesthetic and without visibility of corrections in its structure.

The resins or composites are highly effective because they are made of a material that acquires the same color of your tooth, making it ideal for aesthetics and restoration of the same.

In our IMOI clinics in Barcelona and Ibiza we use resins or dental composites when you go to see your dentist and he/she detects a small to medium sized cavity. The procedure is well known:

1. The carious area is cleaned by making a cavity of small extension (depending on the problem to be treated until the caries is eliminated).
2. The area is filled using a resin or dental composite (at that time, the IMOI dentist will perform the inlay trying to match the color of the tooth that will have the filling.
3. Let it dry and it is ready.

Dental clinics currently prefer the use of resins or composites of great resistance and, of course, excellent esthetics. Many materials have evolved to provide a perfect tooth structure.

If we go back a little in time, before resins or composites, fillings were fabricated using amalgams which among its advantages had resistance and excellent material handling; however, when made with materials such as mercury, they increased their toxic level and of course were totally unsightly.

Resins or composites have now completely replaced amalgams because besides being resistant, they are absolutely non-toxic and of course provide the patient with an enormous level of esthetics for their teeth.

Care of dental resins or composites.

Very well, once your resins or composites have been placed, you should take into account the following recommendations so that they can remain in optimal conditions for a longer period of time.

After obturation:

1. Your IMOI dentist will tell you the material he has used to fill your dental piece, that means that with the information he will give you you should know how long it will take to set completely, some materials do it immediately while others take from 24 to 48 hours to be completely fixed, so in that time you should be very careful to have a greater effectiveness in the treatment.
2. You should avoid at all costs foods with a sticky texture, that are hard or that are too cold and/or too hot. When you are under the effects of painkillers, you are likely to feel better and want to chew almost immediately. Avoid it and follow your dentist’s recommendations.

After obturation:

1. Once your resin has dried, you should introduce hard foods progressively so as not to destroy the filling, we suggest that you chew on the other side within a few hours after resin placement.
2. Brush your teeth thoroughly to prevent cavities from re-forming in other areas of your mouth. If you do not have the option of brushing your teeth after every meal (which is ideal) you can use some type of chewing gum to minimally clean the surface of your teeth.
3. Once you have placed the resins or composites, you should verify that when biting there is no type of contact that could hurt your newly filled dental piece, because sometimes, when there is some type of abnormal contact, it can cause intense pain in that area. For that your dentist will lower the resin level a little and adjust it to mitigate any pain.
4. We recommend that you avoid drinks or foods that may stain your resin or tooth enamel (do not smoke, do not drink coffee or tea in excess).
5. Use a toothbrush that can clean your teeth well but is not excessively hard or rough.

Life time of resins or composites:

Will your resins or composites last forever? The answer is no. There are very strong materials that extend the life span of your fillings and give them a useful life of more than 10 years; however, it is important to know that resins or composites should be removed when they show wear or even a change in color.

Over time and with use, the material wears down and there are also changes in the shades of both the teeth and the resin itself. It is then time to remove the old material and install a new one.

What happens if you do not change the resin when you see deterioration in it? Well, when a resin tends to fracture or weaken, bacteria from the mouth can enter through the fissures causing a new problem of decay, inflammation and pain.

At that point a cavity would have to be made in your tooth again to remove the decay, and a resin would have to be reapplied.

It is extremely important that you check each one of the amalgams or resins or composites that you have in your mouth, that you go to an appointment with your dentist to evaluate the situation and the useful life of each one. Take into account the warning signs that indicate that it is time to change your fillings:

• When you eat very cold or hot food, you feel extreme sensitivity in the area where you have placed resins or composites.
• You may notice that some of these resins or composites are cracked or some of their parts have fallen off.
• After eating something very hard you noticed that your filling broke.
• There is a noticeable color change between your tooth and the filling, even with the naked eye you can see it.
• When drinking liquids you feel a leakage.

If you have any of the above signs it is time to check the quality of your gums and if a change is necessary. Remember that these are your protective barrier against a tooth that has been damaged by decay.

At IMOI Barcelona and IMOI Ibiza, we follow editorial principles that guarantee the authenticity of all the information we disseminate. If you are interested in learning more about how we ensure that our content is always up-to-date and accurately supported, we invite you to review our editorial commitment.

This article has been supervised by Dr. Ferran Novell Costa and Dra. Erjona Demiraj, specialists in Dental Health and Dental Aesthetics treatments. Responsible for the treatments provided at IMOI Barcelona and IMOI Ibiza and for the supervision and/or updating of the contents of this blog entry. (7/11/2023). The recommendations described are not generic and do not replace the diagnosis and evaluation of a professional in a dental office. If you want us to clarify any aspect or you want a personalized diagnosis and advice we recommend you to come to our dental clinics.

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