What is a Dental Filling?
A dental filling is a restoration that is used to fill in an area of a tooth that is defective due to decay or fracture. Dental decay, known as a cavity, can infiltrate a tooth and cause it to become weak. Over time, the decay essentially eats into the tooth to reach the inner pulp. Before the decay is allowed to get to this point, it's removed and replaced with a tooth-colored composite resin filling.
Why might a Dental Filling be needed?
If you ignore a cavity long enough, the tooth will require a root canal which weakens the tooth. To protect the tooth from this, the decayed tooth structure and bacteria that cause the decay need to be removed. Many times, we accomplish this with a filling. Fillings are restorations that can match the color of your existing smile.
Who is a candidate for Dental Fillings?
In many cases, you won't know you have a cavity until you come in for an exam. During the exam, we look for dark areas or soft spots in the tooth. X-rays further help us in identifying these trouble areas. If you have a cavity, it's recommended that it be filled sooner rather than later.
What happens during the Dental Filling process?
We first numb the area of the mouth needing the filling. The decay is removed from the tooth and the tooth is prepared for the new composite filling. The filling is placed by applying an etching gel into the small hole, washing it away and then packing the hole with resin. The resin is cured and hardened with a special dental light. We can place multiple fillings in the same area, and we recommend coming in for treatment as soon as it's found that you have a cavity.
If you think you might need a dental filling and want to know more about the procedure, call our office today and one of our friendly team members will be happy to help.
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