Fillings are a treatment to restore the health and appearance of decayed teeth.
The word “filling” refers both to the material used and the procedure itself. When you get a filling, your dentist uses a local anesthetic to numb your tooth and the surrounding tissues. Once the local anesthetic has taken effect, a drill, laser, or air abrasion instrument is used to remove the decay from your tooth.
With your tooth free from decay, the hole is filled with the filling material, which starts off in a malleable state but hardens under a special curing light. After your filling has hardened, it is shaped by removing any excess material.
Your filling seals the hole in your tooth so that bacteria can’t continue to eat away at it.
Cavities form when plaque is left to sit on the surface of your teeth for too long. Plaque contains acids and bacteria. When they stay in contact with your teeth for an extended period, they deteriorate at your tooth structures. Eventually, it creates a hole or cavity.
Some signs of cavities include:
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule a visit with Albemarle Dental Associates as soon as possible. The longer you wait to get a filling, the worse your cavity will become.
Untreated cavities eventually lead to decay in surrounding teeth or infection of the tissue inside your tooth.
In addition to performing fillings, Albemarle Dental Associates also provides adhesive bonding. Adhesive bonding is a procedure used to fix damage in your tooth, like cracks or chips, or to reshape your tooth if it’s cosmetically impaired. When your dentist performs adhesive bonding, they use the same filling material used when applying a filling.
Schedule your next visit with Albemarle Dental Associates by phone or request an appointment online today.