Dental Fillings

Almost everyone has had a cavity at some point in their lives, mostly when they were young. There are several types of filling material used in restoring cavities. In the past usually, gold or silver fillings were used in the back of the mouth where it does not normally show and a bonded or composite filling (which is the same color as a tooth) is used in the front of the mouth where it does show. Today, it is standard treatment to recommend using composite or porcelain inserts for any teeth that need restoring due to the variety of benefits attained through these newer more advanced type of filling materials.

In addition, some patients may be concerned about the controversy and health risks related to silver fillings, we will replace those fillings with porcelain inserts or composite fillings upon request.

A cavity is a hole in the tooth resulting from decay. It usually comes from food matter on the tooth that has not been removed. This food matter then eats away the tooth. A cavity can be very big or as tiny as a pin hole. No matter the size, once a hole is there it must be filled. It will only get bigger.

Fillings should last about 5-10 years with regular dental visits.  At this point the material may start wearing down.  When this occurs, there is no longer a tight seal between the tooth and the filling, allowing saliva, bacteria, and plaque to seep under the filling.  This causes decay.  The treatment is to remove the old filling and put in a new one.

At first, fillings may be sensitive to cold or sweets.  This is normal.  The tooth is getting used to the new material it now contains and, depending on the size of the filling, sensitivity may last 1-2 weeks.  However, if a patient complains of pain when chewing on the tooth, the doctor needs to see the patient.  The new filling may be too high, causing pain when chewing.  This is easily corrected and takes only a short time.