Restorations and Fillings
Dental fillings is one of the most common phrases associated with dentistry. They are used to fill a hole, or add an extra layer to worn down teeth, preventing any further problems from occurring.
You might suspect you have a hole in your tooth because of localised pain, or you can feel it with your tongue. We do not recommend self-diagnosis though. Call us at Pathway Dental and make an appointment. We will either confirm your suspicions or diagnose another reason for your pain. Either way, do not ignore your pain and hope that it will go away by itself!
Why do we get holes in our teeth?
Holes in your teeth can occur for a couple of reasons:
- If you grind your teeth at night, you can slowly cause the surface of the tooth to wear and create a gap that becomes a hole over time.
- If a tooth starts to decay or rot because the enamel has softened, it will start to break down and create a hole.
- The hole will become sensitive to pain, either through a bacterial infection or because nearby nerves have been exposed.
Dental fillings (composite and amalgam) are used to fill a hole, or add an extra layer to worn down teeth, preventing any further problems from occurring.
Side Effects after a Filling
Unfortunately, as with all medical procedures, there may be side effects. Our team at Dental Pathway will do their best to ensure side effects do not occur, but we think it best to be forewarned. Side effects may include the following:
- You may experience sensitivity and pain after the dental fillings. This is a very common side effect and can last from one day to four weeks
- You may experience some pain while biting down. This could either be the tooth settling, or the dental fillings may need altering slightly as it is interfering with your normal bite. We will need to see you again to make the adjustment. So please make an appointment to come to see us if you experience this problem.
Don’t ignore that pain in your tooth. Call us today and schedule a consultation with our gentle dentists to get to the source of your pain. Phone us on 03 366 8866 or make an appointment below.
Different Types of Tooth Fillings
Gone are the days of filling your teeth with black amalgam. Pathway Dental have a number of options to choose from including: gold, silver amalgam, porcelain, plastic or composite.
We mainly use composite resin (white/tooth coloured fillings), however, because of its strength and durability. We also find that the resin is barely noticeable. Composite resin has become the preferred choice of filling by our clients.
There are two main types of dental fillings:
- Direct- where a soft/malleable filling is placed into the tooth and hardened straight away. This can be done in a single visit.
- Indirect – where larger parts of a tooth are missing, an impression of the tooth is made and a replica is created and then ‘joined’ to the remaining part of the tooth. This procedure takes more than a single visit. It also includes visiting Denton Smiles, a dental laboratory where the perfect replacement will be made.
Indirect fillings also have an option of an onlay or an inlay. The difference between the two is that an onlay covers the top of the tooth and an inlay fills in the area between the cusps (two sides) of a tooth. Indirect fillings are commonly referred to as crowns, bridges or veneers.
Temporary fillings are usually done for those:
- who are undergoing root canal therapy, as part of the treatment process.
- who require emergency treatment until a permanent resolution can be undertaken.
- who require more than one session i.e. waiting for a crown to be made.
