Dental Fillings Restorative dentistry treatments are carried out by Avery Dental Center to restore damaged teeth and improve your smile. Some of the most common restorative treatments include fillings, which repair tooth cavities using a variety of hard-wearing materials. These can prevent future oral health problems in addition to improving function and appearance.What to Expect During a Filling ProcedureThe dentist's visit may take up to an hour. If the filling is located at the back of your mouth, then you might need an x-ray which can delay proceedings by around half an hour or so. However, most fillings won't require this procedure and will be completed within 30 minutes. Your gum surrounding the tooth to be filled is numbed first with a local anesthetic. Although you may feel a small prick as the anesthetic is injected, once it takes effect you won't feel a thing. After a few minutes, the dentist begins to remove decay from the tooth using a drill. It should only take a few minutes. Once all the decay is removed, the cavity is cleaned and filled with the filling material you and your dentist have already agreed upon. Once set, it is filed into shape and smoothed. When you and the dentist are happy with how it looks and feels - a quick polish and the process is completed. Choosing A Filling MaterialWhat are your thoughts on what material would be best for you? This is something that we can discuss with you in detail during the consultation. There are many materials to choose from, depending on the situation: silver amalgam, glass ionomer, composite, porcelain, and gold may all work well for different people. The choice of material used in your filling may be dependent on the suitability of the material for your circumstances. The different materials available are silver amalgam, glass ionomer, tooth-colored composite, porcelain, and gold. Although most people prefer tooth-colored materials these days because it's more aesthetically pleasing than metal fillings, porcelain is expensive. Composite is considerably cheaper, but it may not be strong enough, depending on where in the mouth your filling is required. We will discuss all the pros and cons of the various options with you so that you can make an informed decision. Amalgam fillings are commonly used because they are the least expensive of all the filling materials, ideal for large teeth in the back of the mouth and work well to repair chipped or broken teeth. Composite (resin) fillings may be a better cosmetic solution as we can match them with your natural tooth color. Porcelain (ceramic) is strong, but expensive and gold restorations - although hard-wearing - are more costly and the esthetic result is not to everyone's taste. How Do I Know When to Replace a Filling?If you notice that your dental filling is breaking down due to wear, or if you have a broken filling, notice tooth sensitivity, or other discomforts then you should schedule an appointment with us as you may need to have your filling replaced if it has a fracture. Schedule an appointment at Avery Dental Center for your dental fillings by calling (380) 257-1684. |
