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Posted on 8/15/2019 by LDAoffice |
 You may know that if you have a cavity and head to our office, you will probably get a filling. Having to get a tooth filled is one of the things that people fear when they visit our office. They think that it means they will hear the sound of the drill and that getting the filling will hurt. Much of the fear comes from the fact that people do not really know the basics of getting a filling done. Learning this can help reduce the dental anxiety that keeps many away from a visit to our office. Why Get a FillingA filling is necessary when you have a cavity in a tooth. The cavity is actually a hole that forms in the teeth. Cavities are the result of tooth decay that comes from the bacteria that grows on the teeth and gums. There are signs that you have a cavity that include pain or swelling around the affected teeth. We can also use tools such as x-rays in our office to detect cavities before symptoms start. When you get a cavity, getting a filling will restore the health of the tooth. The anesthesia will eventually wear off and there is sometimes a little sensitivity at the site of the new filling that goes away over time. The Filling ProcessA filling is a procedure done in our office. The first step is to numb the area using some form of anesthesia. Once the anesthesia takes effect, a drill is used to remove the decay that led to the cavity. It is also possible to use a laser to this. The drill goes through the enamel of the teeth and also through the second layer of dentin. After removing the decay, we can put a liner over the cavity to protect the nerves before putting a filling in place. We can then choose from different materials for the filling and shape it to fit the tooth properly. After the filling is in place, we work to smooth and polish the surface of the tooth. The anesthesia will eventually wear off and there is sometimes a little sensitivity at the site of the new filling that goes away over time. Want to know more about dental fillings or want to schedule an appointment? Give us a call today! |
