Fillings Specialist

What are fillings?

Fillings are materials that the practice uses to fill tooth cavities, which are holes in your teeth. Cavities form when plaque, a sticky bacteria, partners with sugars to produce an acid that decays your tooth enamel.

Fillings serve a few different purposes, including:

• Strengthening tooth function
• Preventing further tooth damage
• Protecting exposed nerves
• Eliminating pain

Sometimes, the practice also uses fillings to fix broken, cracked, or worn teeth.

How can I prevent cavities?

While fillings are a great solution to cavities, no one wants to get cavities in the first place. To prevent cavities, follow general oral health practices, like:

• Brushing your teeth at least twice a day
• Flossing daily
• Eating a balanced diet

In addition, make sure to visit your dentist regularly so that they can address any issues early.

What makes up a filling?

Gentle Touch PC only uses fillings made out of composite resin. Composite resin tooth fillings offer you a myriad of benefits, including:

Aesthetics

The practice can match composite resin fillings to the color of your natural teeth so that they blend in.

Safety

In years past, many dentists used amalgam fillings, which contain mercury. If amalgam fillings break or crack, mercury vapor can potentially leak into your body. High levels of mercury can cause damage to the body, particularly your brain and kidneys.

In contrast, mercury-free composite fillings carry no such risk.

Maximum tooth restoration

Unlike some other types of fillings, composite resin fillings require that the practice remove only a minimal amount of your tooth structure. This means that you can restore and retain much more of your original tooth strength.

What happens during a filling procedure?

To begin your filling procedure, your provider typically applies a local anesthetic to the area around the treated teeth. This numbs the area so that you can feel more comfortable during the procedure. 

Next, your team drills a hole into your enamel to remove any tooth decay. Once they’ve done so, they shape the hole in which your filling will go. 

After this, your team etches the inside of your tooth with a bonding acid. Bonding acid holds the filling in place and prevents cracks between your tooth and filling.

After that’s done, they insert the filling. Finally, they harden your filling using a special light and then polish it, so it matches your surrounding teeth. 

If your tooth hurts, don’t wait around to get it checked. Instead, find out if you have a cavity, and get a filling by calling Gentle Touch PC or booking an appointment online today.