Dental Fillings
Tooth decay left untreated can result in extensive and ongoing damage to your tooth. Once the decay spreads to the nerve, you can experience increasing discomfort and may need major, more costly dental treatment. At Clarity Dental, our dentists may recommend dental fillings to restore damage to your tooth and prevent further damage from occurring. The types of damage dental fillings can be useful in restoring are cavities caused by decay and small chips and cracks. We use tooth coloured restoration material at Clarity Dental. This means that our dental fillings not only restore your tooth’s function but also have an incredibly natural-looking finish.
What to expect when getting a dental filling
If during an oral hygiene appointment your dentist determines that a dental filling is the best treatment option for you, you’ll be booked in to receive your treatment.
Here’s what getting a dental filling usually involves:
Numbing
We’ll try our best to make sure the area is totally numb before commencing any part of the process. Modern anaesthetics and the way we administer it means you’ll be kept as comfortable as possible!
Removing Decay
Once the area is numb and you are feeling relaxed, your dentist will carefully remove the parts of the tooth that have been damaged by decay. The aim is to remove all decay and bacteria, while preserving as much of your natural tooth as possible.
Sealing the tooth
Once the tooth is disinfected, it’s time to seal it off with tooth coloured composite resin. This restores the function of your tooth and also stops more bacteria getting trapped in the cavity, which would promote further decay. Dental fillings no longer need a long time to set. As a result, your dental filling will be set by the time you leave your appointment.
Checking your bite
When your dental filling is set, your dentist will shape it and then check your bite to make sure it is comfortable. If needed, they can make minimal adjustments to the height of the filling to allow for the perfect fit.
Polishing for the perfect finish
Your dentist will finish off the treatment by polishing your dental filling for a natural-looking and smooth finish.
Aftercare
Because of the quick-setting dental filling material, it’s safe to eat soon after your treatment. But it’s important to wait a few hours for the anaesthetic to wear off before doing so, to avoid biting your tongue or lips.
Keeping up with a great oral hygiene routine at home and maintaining regular dental check-ups will help extend the life of your dental filling. It will also reduce your risk of decay and needing more dental fillings in the future.