When it comes to dental fillings, it's important to know what to expect. Applying the filling first, a dentist will place an adhesive material on the tooth. This helps the compound adhere to the tooth and then the compound is applied to the area where the decay or damage used to be. A dental assistant will apply a light to the tooth for a few seconds to harden the material. Before any of this happens, the dentist will inject a local anesthetic to numb the area near the decayed tooth or teeth being treated.
This anesthetic also numbs the gums and jaw around the teeth. The dentist then uses a drill to remove decay from the affected tooth. After drilling the hole, they will fill the removed area with a filling. Most dentists use fillings made of composite resin, glass ionomers or silver amalgam fillings. To save a tooth from a serious infection, your dentist may need to perform root canal treatment and remove any decayed tissue.
After this, your tooth will be empty inside and without a filling, it would be at risk of breaking, cracking or even becoming infected again. A filling is used to treat a small hole or cavity in a tooth. To repair a cavity, the dentist removes decayed dental tissue and then fills the space with a filling material. Layering them allows them to shape them so that they fit well on the teeth and prevent a change in the bite. After completing the dental filling procedure, it is important for the dentist to spend time with you discussing how cavities can be prevented from forming under or near the filling. You may feel dull pain at the site of your dental treatment for several hours after you leave the dentist. Anyone who experiences more significant pain or sensitivity, or signs of an infection such as fever or swelling should contact their dentist.
If you are concerned about the length of the procedure, tell your dentist so they can recommend the best type of filling. According to Kenneth Rothschild, DDS, who has 40 years of experience as a general dentist, composite plastics have been used more successfully in recent decades due to their greater strength, better color varieties and longer expected longevity. Now that you know what to expect when your dentist is filling a cavity, it's important to know what can happen next. If you experience moderate or severe pain during or after the procedure, report this to your dentist. If you are concerned about possible effects of amalgam fillings, discuss other options with your dentist. If you need to prepare for the procedure in any way, your dentist will let you know beforehand.
