The most common reason for needing a filling is because you have a cavity. Cavities can happen at virtually every stage of your life. They can happen because you may not have taken good care of your teeth or you are more susceptible to tooth decay. Children are often more vulnerable to developing cavities, but they’re one of the most common tooth-related problems we experience each day regardless of age.
We begin the procedure by administering a local anesthetic to numb the area. We then remove the decay from the tooth. Once removed, we prepare the tiny hole that was made for the filling. Composite resin is then applied and smoothed into place. It’s then cured with a bright light so that it fully hardens. For amalgam fillings, we mix the amalgam filling mixture together and pack it into the small hole. We remove any excess from the area and the filling hardens naturally on its own. Both composite resin and amalgam fillings can last for many years with proper care.
If you would like to learn more about dental fillings or think you may need one, call our office and we can help to get you in for an appointment.