FIllings

Fillings are the most common form of dental restoration perform in the United States.  When tooth decay (a cavity) is found, restoration should be done as soon as possible to prevent the decay from spreading and requiring a bigger repair.  Avoiding bigger procedures not only will be less expensive but also will prevent any bacteria from finding a way into the body.   

Restoring a tooth with a cavity involves removing the decayed area of tooth enamel and then “filling” it with special dental material.  That material is the filling.  Getting a filling is a simple procedure and nearly painless.  The only possible uncomfortable is the injection for numbing the gums, but a gel is applied to the gums to dull the initial injection.  

The tooth is prepared by cleaning out the area of decay down to unaffected enamel.  The hole (or defect) is then filled with the dental material (the filling) and allowed to set.  Depending on the type of material used, a light may be used to harden the filling.  

The type of material used for the filling will depend on where the filling will be placed in the mouth.  Silver amalgam fillings are usually only placed in the back of the mouth where they are not as visible when speaking.  The strength of the silver amalgam is also needed in the back of the mouth where chewing forces are higher. 

Porcelain fillings are manufactured in a lab and bonded to the teeth.  They are good for color-matching to the remaining teeth and are stain-resistant.  

Composite resin fillings are also good for color matching and require less of the tooth enamel to be removed before application.