You have probably heard the term “filling” for your entire life. You may have even received one or two. However, how much do you know about dental fillings? Can you summarize why they’re important, what type of concern this restorative treatment addresses, or what the procedure is like? If not, we are more than happy to provide the essential information that will fill in the blanks where you find yourself scratching your head. The more you learn, the more you will appreciate the way fillings protect the comfort, function – and even the beauty – of your smile.
Why You Need A Filling
Fortunately, becoming familiar with dental fillings is simple. You need one because you have a cavity. The hole in your tooth is not simply a hole that formed and that will not change. Tooth decay is progressive, which means that hole is going to continue to become larger. The results can become destructive and even fatal to your tooth. Rather than allowing your tooth to continue to decay, we suggest the placement of a dental filling to stop the oral disease in its tracks and protect your tooth.
What To Expect
First, we will numb your tooth – the surrounding tissues will be numbed as well. You can always expect a comfortable dental filling. For the most part, we offer tooth-colored fillings, which means we will color-match a synthetic acrylic-resin material called composite to your tooth. We will use this material to fill the opening. However, we will first clean out the debris and prep your tooth to ensure it is completely free of decay. Then, we will fill the opening with the composite, set the material, ensure your bite feels comfortable, and send you home with a repaired tooth.
