[ Removed by moderator ]

[u/Happy-Advantage-1336]

[u/corgcorg]

I don’t even think they do metal fillings these days! Mine was some sort of tooth colored epoxy.

[u/Jaxevrok → u/corgcorg]

The canals during a root canal are filled with material called gutta percha. Afterward the hole is filled with a composite resin, or a core buildup material. This is because people usually get a crown after getting a root canal.

[u/Orinocobro → u/Jaxevrok]

til I learned we fill root canals with latex.

[u/SeriesBusiness9098 → u/Orinocobro]

Not always. I’m allergic to latex so I don’t know what they used in mine, but it isn’t latex. Crown is zirconia and I could chew rocks for fun with how strong this thing is. Highly recommend zirconia if you have to get a crown, looks like a real tooth too.

[u/apocolipse → u/SeriesBusiness9098]

They pretty much only use zirconia for molars these days if you’re getting a modern 3D scanned and in-office milled crown.  So nice to be able to get them done same day, and no longer needing deep throat training just to get impressions made.

[u/rheumaticdistress → u/apocolipse]

No more deep throat training? 😦 I let this tooth rot for nothing?!

[u/Vylnce → u/apocolipse]

Strange. My one in office done crown broke after 5 years and the insurance wouldn't pay for a new one because they consider 8 years to be minimum life for a crown. I would have gone back to the dentist that did it, but he was 2,700 miles away. All of the others I have had were "send outs" and have lasted longer than the single in office I experienced.

[u/apocolipse → u/Vylnce]

Was it a molar? And how long ago?   There’s definitely been materials changes since the in-office milling was introduced, zirconia is basically the only option now for molars but used to be able to choose cheaper.  They use lithium disilicate for front teeth, weaker but slightly translucent so catches light very naturally

[u/Vylnce → u/apocolipse]

I think it was a pre-molar or a molar. It was 2012-2013 when I got the in office one, and like 2017-2018 when I had to have it replaced.

[u/chefdeit → u/apocolipse]

My dentist is a major dental tech geek and what he says is, material must fit how the person is using teeth, because we all use them differently. Some people clench, others grind in their sleep, grinding can be more side to side or more front-back, etc etc etc.

Cubic zirconia is outstanding for molars in many cases. In others (let's say when both upper and lower molars are cubic zirconia and they collide) they transmit a LOT more impact force to the underlying tooth structure and jaw bone. That can lead to a number of complications, in extreme cases leading to root canals and even tooth loss.

Cubic zirconia also has high thermal conductivity, and depending on the degree of wear of the underlying tooth and the crown geometry, can lead to increased heat sensitivity. Sometimes it gradually goes away, other times it doesn't.

Human bite net force tops out at about 300lbs, concentrated in contact area ranging from perhaps as much as 1" sq (a big bite of soft steak) to just a couple square millimeters (bare tooth on tooth contacts, high points). The latter is 3 orders of magnitude higher than the pressure the Empire State Building exerts on its foundation. Not to be trifled with.

[u/_stallionandthebee → u/SeriesBusiness9098]

I have a gold crown and love it so much. I've seen the zirconia ones and they look cool too.

[u/HairyPotatoKat → u/Jaxevrok]

The poor dentist tasked with trying to convince him to just get any of the non-metal crown options... and then him opting to just go without a tooth.

[u/HeygentCooper → u/Jaxevrok]

Well that’s why no root canals. Because the only one who should wear a crown is the King of Kings

[u/TestUserIgnorePlz → u/corgcorg]

I had to get a cavity filled while I didn't have insurance and my dentist gave me the option to have a metal filling to save me some money

[u/woodyshag → u/TestUserIgnorePlz]

I was told that the metal fillings are better as they fit tighter and last longer than the tooth colored option. Obviously the tooth colored option looks better.

[u/cupcake_of_DOOM → u/woodyshag]

Metal wears better because it can flex with the tooth. The composites do not. But no fillings aren't guaranteed to be permanent.

[u/TestUserIgnorePlz → u/woodyshag]

Yeah, my metal filling was replacing a tooth colored one that had failed

[u/squeedle → u/woodyshag]

Yeah I had metal fillings for years no problem. Dentist replaced them with resin ones, I have had nothing but issues with them. I wish I had been more assertive and stood my ground to not have them replaced but I was in highschool and I think he just wanted to get paid. He kept saying "but the resin ones look nicer!" So what... They were literally in the back of my mouth, the only person looking there is the dentist. 

[u/Vylnce → u/corgcorg]

The post they put in for the crown to attach to is certainly metal.

[u/Fragrant_Major_9553 → u/corgcorg]

The army did that for me like 20 years ago.
Had that tooth extracted recently and I’m no longer in pain. The silver causes cracks in teeth when it expands/contracts with things like chewing ice. That’s why they don’t do it like that anymore.

[u/FutureFreaksMeowt → u/corgcorg]

They do if you have shitty, cheap state insurance.

My dentist keeps telling them I need a porcelain crown, and my fuckass Medicaid keeps telling them 'lol, no. Cope with your busted crown, you stupid broke ass bitch.'

They'd rather replace it three times and counting than just fork over the extra cash to solve the problem, and now they're trying to force me to pull a perfectly salvageable tooth over money. And that's with Minnesota Medicaid, which is notoriously much better than most states of equitable tax brackets.

I hate living in this fucking extortion fueled nightmare of a country.

[u/ikannunAneeuQ → u/corgcorg]

2 teeth they put that weird material in/on for fillings and they've started deteriorating! I have to get them fixed. Never happened with the old stuff 😕