In daily life, many people experience tooth loss. Beyond aesthetic concerns, missing teeth can compromise both oral and overall health. Therefore, prompt professional dental restoration is essential. However, many remain unfamiliar with dental fillings and unsure about post-treatment dietary considerations.
1. Glass ionomer cement has lower hardness than composite resins or silver amalgam and is less wear-resistant. Clinically, it is primarily used for filling primary teeth nearing the transition to permanent teeth. Immediately after placement, it exhibits low hardness and elastic properties. Maximum hardness is achieved after 24 hours. Therefore, teeth filled with glass ionomer cement must not be used for 24 hours.
2. Silver amalgam is a relatively ideal and widely used traditional filling material.This material achieves 70%–90% of its final hardness within 6 hours post-placement, reaching full hardness after 24 hours. Therefore, eating or chewing with the treated tooth immediately after filling is prohibited to prevent deformation or dislodgement of the filling material. Soft foods may be consumed after two hours, but chewing with that tooth remains restricted until 24 hours post-filling.
3. Resin-based materials are further categorized into light-cured composite resins and chemically cured composite resins. These materials achieve high hardness immediately after placement and exhibit no flow, allowing for eating.