Composite Fillings

To treat a cavity your dentist will remove the decayed portion of the tooth and then "fill" the area on the tooth where the decayed material once lived.

Fillings are also used to repair cracked or broken teeth, teeth that have been worn down from misuse (such as from nail-biting or tooth grinding), and to replace old silver fillings.

fillings2

What Steps Are Involved in Filling a Tooth?

First, the dentist will numb the area around the tooth to be filled with a local anesthetic. Next he will remove all decay and bad tooth structure. Next, your dentist will probe or test the area during the decay removal process to determine if all the decay has been removed. Once the decay has been removed, your dentist will prepare the space for the filling by cleaning the cavity of bacteria and debris. Dr.Olmstead will first put in a liner made of glass ionomer (fluoride base), once that is set up, the composite in placed. The tooth-colored material is applied in layers. Next, a special light that "cures" or hardens each layer is applied. When the multi layering process is completed, your dentist will shape the composite material to the desired result, trim off any excess material, and polish the final restoration.

Tooth Pain and Sensitivity

Tooth sensitivity following placement of a filling is fairly common. A tooth may be sensitive to pressure, air, sweet foods, or temperature. Usually, the sensitivity resolves on its own within a few weeks. During this time, avoid those things that are causing the sensitivity. Pain relievers are generally not required. Contact your dentist if the sensitivity does not subside within 2 to 4 weeks or if your tooth is extremely sensitive. He or she may recommend you use a desensitizing toothpaste, may apply a desensitizing agent to the tooth, or possibly suggest a root canal procedure.

Pain around the fillings can also occur. If you experience pain when you bite, the filling is interfering with your bite. You will need to return to your dentist and have the filling reshaped. If you experience pain when your teeth touch, the pain is likely caused by the touching of two different metal surfaces (for example, the silver amalgam in a newly filled tooth and a gold crown on another tooth with which it touches). This pain should resolve on its own within a short period of time.

If the decay was very deep or close to the pulp of the tooth, you may experience a "toothache-type" pain. This "toothache" response may indicate this tissue is no longer healthy. If this is the case, a root canal may be required.

Sometimes people experience what is known as referred pain -- pain or sensitivity in other teeth besides the one that received the filling. With this particular pain, there is likely nothing wrong with your teeth. The filled tooth is simply passing along "pain signals" it's receiving to other teeth. This pain should decrease on its own over 1 to 2 weeks.