Say “No” to DIY Dental Filling

Dr. WONG Man Cheong, Dennis

Clinical Associate in Dental & Maxillofacial Radiology

Clinical Associate in Prosthodontics

Together with the latest technological advancement, the COVID-19 pandemic herald a new era of sharing and self-help. With just a few clicks on the mobile phone, you can now connect with everyone all over the world, have everything delivered to your doorsteps and indulge in your DIY pursuits at home, even dental filling.   

A simple online search will possibly lead you to many how-to videos and information about the tools and dental filling materials. Fanned by those videos on social media, even some people have taken dental matters into their own hands, often with serious health consequences.

 
Restorative dentistry is a branch of prosthodontics and requires specialty training. A wide range of instruments and materials is used for different conditions to achieve optimal treatment outcomes, e.g. amalgam, composite resin, glass ionomer cements, etc.

As a tailored procedure, dental filling must be, and can only be performed by a registered dentist after detailed clinical examination, assessment and diagnosis. The instruments must be thoroughly cleaned and sterilised before treatment.

Dental filling is mostly performed to fill cavity and fix minor damage in teeth. Dentist will first clean up the damaged area and prepare the surface for filling by removing decayed tissues and bacteria. Sometimes the cavity may appear to be no more than a small hole on the tooth surface but with extensive damage underneath. If only part of the decayed tissues is removed, the remaining bacteria will continue to cause damage to the teeth, invade the pulp cavity and infect the nerves inside, causing pulp inflammation, pain and swelling.         

Sometimes a rubber dam is used during the procedure to ensure that the materials maintain solid and stable at a proper level of humidity. It can also minimise the risk of aspiration. Rubber dams are not for use by non-professionals, and that is why they are usually absent in the DIY dental filling kit. Without proper isolation with the rubber dams, the filling may get loose or leave gaps between the tooth surface and the filling, where plaque and food particles can accumulate and cause recurrent decay and pulp inflammation with dire consequences.   

After the procedure, dentist will use an articulating paper to check the occlusal contact with the opposing teeth. The filling will then be polished using air rotor handpiece to ensure that the occlusion is correct and the surface is smooth.

Occlusal interference can affect mastication and cause occlusal trauma, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome and other serious complications. If the filling is not properly polished, it may enhance plaque accumulation and cause periodontal problem.

In short, DIY dental filling performed by untrained personnel using improper instruments and filling materials can cause serious damage to teeth and the surrounding tissues, as well as aggravating dental diseases. So please say “No” to DIY dental filling!

Procedures of Composite Filling by a Dentist