Imagine what it would be like to just have your partially decayed teeth yanked out by forceps, a tool similar to pliers and tongs. That was the way it was many, many years ago for generations who believed forceps were their only hope to rid themselves of toothache caused by a partially decayed tooth.

Thanks to Scribonius Largus, a Mesopotamian physician, for believing that decayed teeth can still be saved with less violent procedures (like yanking them out of the mouth with forceps). Because of his idea, fillings were born, and many generations of people after that didn’t have to deal with forceps.

Fillings are simply material that “fill” spaces left by decayed tooth which dentists remove to restore the tooth. They are used to repair cracks or broken areas and to replace parts that have been worn down.

The dental filling process is simple, usually done with only one or two dental visits - dentist removes decayed area, cleans it up and fills it with chosen kind of filling.

Fillings come in various types, depending on the size of the space to be filled and the patient’s choice with regard to aesthetics, durability and cost.

Amalgam Fillings
These are also known as silver fillings, the most common fillings seen in most open mouths as they are the least expensive and are so durable, they outlast many hairstyle fads, fashion trends and celebrity divorces. Aside from its most obvious vanity drawback (so un-tooth-like color), this filling type usually requires more healthy parts of the tooth be removed to make a space large enough to hold the filling. That’s the irony of “restoration” with amalgam fillings.

Composite Resin Fillings
Composite resin fillings are best for those who care a lot about aesthetics as well as function, because they can match natural-teeth color. That makes it perfect for patients who don’t want to smile showing front teeth with a touch of silver (which may turn bluish-gray over time). Composite fillings are versatile enough to also be used for repair of chipped, broken or worn teeth. They are not as inexpensive as amalgam fillings but also don’t last as long.

Cast Gold
If there are silver fillings, there are gold. We’re talking real gold here, understandably making these fillings 10 times more expensive than most. They are also more durable than other fillings, lasting up to 35 years. They require up to two dental office visits to place and can’t look like natural teeth. That makes having fillings a good excuse for rich people to showcase some gold, not on their jewelry or apparel, but in their mouths.

Ceramic Fillings
Another tooth-colored alternative to composite resin fillings are ceramic fillings, which are often made of porcelain, making them more resistant to staining. They are chemically bonded to natural teeth which can even strengthen them and may last for over 15 years.

Inlays and Onlays
These are more visually appealing, stronger and longer-lasting alternatives to traditional fillings, used when not enough structure exists to support a filling or when a tooth is not so damaged that it needs a crown. Read more about inlays and onlays here.

Temporary Fillings
That’s just what they are — temporary fillings not meant to last for a month. These are used for a variety of situations:

- when there is not enough time or money to complete a full filling procedure (patient used his lunch hour to get a filling, which brings us to the next reason)

- for emergency dental treatment (patient can’t bear his toothache for another minute, that’s why he had to go to the dentist on his lunch hour)

- to follow a root canal (decay was that bad)

Whatever kind of fillings they are, fillings are simply “teeth saviors” — they save decayed teeth from being pulled out even with the most modern forceps.