Glass Ionomer Fillings
Glass Ionomer Fillings are a material made from acrylic and a component of glass – ‘flouroaluminosilicate’. They can be bonded to your tooth using a chemical reaction which makes the bond very strong. The filling is bonded straight onto the tooth, and no real preparation is required before you are fitted with one. Some dentists maintain that glass ionomer fillings are not very strong and last only 5 years or so.
Glass Ionomer Filling Use
- As a base or cement for other forms of fillings if the cavity is particularly big or the cavity reaches below the gum line.
- For babies and small children, no drilling or preparation is needed and so the pain is minimal
- For front teeth and areas that aren’t used to bite or chew, i.e. around the necks of the teeth.
Glass Ionomer Filling Advantages
- Closely matches the colour of your teeth.
- Often no preparation is needed before you are fitted with a glass ionomer filling. This means that it is a popular choice for use when children have cavities that need filling.
- They release fluoride over time, thus strengthening your tooth and maintaining good dental health.
- They bond exceptionally well to the tooth, so preventing any further decay or leaking.
Glass Ionomer Filling Disadvantages
- The material is a lot weaker than other filling materials and is prone to quick wear and tear.
- Although the colour is close, it is not a perfect match to your original tooth colour.
- It takes a long time to complete Glass Ionomer, treatment as each layer has to be bonded individually.
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