Fillings
Fillings
Live Oak Dental Group offers many choices for restoring damaged or decayed teeth. But if you are experiencing minimal enamel issues, consider dental fillings. Dental fillings are used to repair minor tooth decay, dental damage, or otherwise damaged surfaces of the teeth.
If you live near Porterville and suffer from dental pain or sensitivity, book an appointment with us today. We can help you decide if you qualify for a dental filling or suggest another treatment so that you can finally experience relief.
What are dental fillings?
Dental fillings flow into the damaged structure of the teeth and repair the damaged area by filling them with extra support. When bacteria and plaque are not removed from the mouth, they eat through our protective enamel layer of the teeth. Over time, they can attack the soft inner tissues and create a hole in the tooth (known as a cavity).
After a dentist fills the hole with a biocompatible material and seals the damage, this prevents future bacteria from entering the internal structure of the tooth.
The Dental Filling Process
Dentists fill teeth to prevent the spread of cavities or correct minor cosmetic damage. Here is what you can expect from a typical dental filling procedure:
- First of all, patients receive local anesthesia and optional sedation to maximize comfort.
- Next, the dentist prepares the tooth by removing rotted and decayed tissue.
- Before filling placement, the dentist may protectively line the teeth to guard the nerve.
- Lastly, the filling is placed and set. Additionally, the dentist may polish and adjust the filling until the bite feels natural.
Aftercare
As the numbing agent wears off, avoid drinking and eating. This precaution is set to prevent biting on the inside of the cheek and tongue due to lingering lack of feeling.
Also, patients can expect some discomfort or soreness associated with a new dental filling. Typically, this can be reduced with over-the-counter pain medication, but this can also be due to the teeth not fitting well together. If this happens, speak with your dentist immediately. He or she should be able to correct a misaligned filling.
Additionally, patients may experience increased sensitivity to temperature, which can be due to various factors, including:
- Minor nerve or gum irritation
- Inflammation from dental drilling
Over time, negative symptoms should get better. If they don’t, call our team immediately.
Types of Dental Fillings That We Offer
While there are many types of fillings available today, Live Oak Dental Group focuses primarily on using composite fillings because they are:
- Natural-looking: Composite material consists of resin and glass, which boasts a less visible appearance.
- Biocompatible: Resin-based composite fillings do not contain heavy metals.
However, we can also place amalgam fillings upon request. Amalgam fillings are composed of a metal mixture. Although amalgam fillings are considered a more durable and economical filling option, they are noticeable. So, amalgam fillings are commonly used for filling in cavities that affect molars because they are strong enough to withstand biting pressure.
