|
Temporary Dental Fillings
Temporary fillings are used
when a patient has to have a major procedure done such as root canal or a
crown. One of the most popular
temporary dental filling is a dental filling called cimpat. Cimpat is a pre-mixed, temporary filling
material in paste form. Cimpat hardens
in the tooth cavity under the influence of mouth temperature and moisture. It
is easy to apply, adheres well to a tooth and it doesn’t soft tissue of the
mouth. Due to its slight expansion
during setting, cimpat hermetically seals the cavity to help prevent
leaking.
This is the most commonly
used temporary material. The negative
thing about temporary filling is that has no strength and its ability to seal
the tooth properly depends on the type of preparation where the filling is
placed. When you have a small hole in
the tooth, and the filling placed so that it is at least 4mm thick, it could
last at least a few months before it washes out by dissolving and wear from
saliva and eating. However, if the tooth
is missing more tooth structure, it might only be good for a week or two. If
you have one of these materials, have something else placed as soon as possible
such as a composite filling. You need
to at least get a base of a filling if you’re getting a crown, which can
actually sit in your tooth till you’re ready to get the crown.
Cimpat White has a more
rubber-like consistency than Cimpat Pink. It is designed for use where
dressings are likely to cause pain on compression of the tooth. Because of its
consistency, Cimpat White is recommended for fillings of short duration. Cimpat
White can be removed with a probe.
Cimpat White, like all fillings, stays in place only when the cavity is
properly prepared. Cimpat is softened during setting by certain liquids or
pastes used for canal treatment.
White fillings which are
much stronger material were invented for the military during Vietnam, when many
soldiers had to be shipped quickly to be sent overseas, and there was not
enough time to place regular fillings
The soldiers – if they managed to come back – still had their temporary
white fillings after a year or two.
When the temporary filling
is lost or starts to leak the leakage can get through the root canal, filling
down into your bone in as little as three days -- this means if the filling
leaks, you’ll need to have the root canal done over again.
Also if there is a lot of
tooth parts missing, then the tooth is very weak, and subject to breaking until
you protect it with a crown so the best idea is not to count on temporary
fillings too much and get the major procedure finished as soon as possible.
|
