Everything You Need to Know About Getting Fillings

Fillings get used for a variety of different reasons. When you go to get a filling, your dentist begins the procedure by removing the decaying part of the tooth and replacing what they removed with another substance.

The most common type of fillings are called composite fillings and often get required for the following:

• Decaying tooth (i.e., cavity)
• Chipped/broken teeth
• Decreasing gaps between teeth

Fillings have proven to be quite an effective treatment for many people with these sorts of dental needs.

The dentist will give you some local anesthetic in the area where you're going to get your filling. Any portions of the tooth that have decayed will get removed. Removing this part of the tooth will create a space in the tooth that will then need to get filled. The dentist will fill the space with the substance in the filling and shine a special light on the tooth to ensure that the material that got inserted hardens. Once the material hardens, the dentist will continue adding layers of filing until the tooth fits in with the other teeth around it.

Smoothing and polishing will finish off the filling to ensure that it is comfortable for you to bite down and chew.

When you are getting a filling, it's recommended that you avoid eating very hot or cold foods for several days after you get your tooth filled. Your newly-filled tooth will likely be a little more sensitive to heat and cold, so avoiding foods at extreme temperatures can help spare you from an unwelcome shot of pain when it meets your tooth's new surface. Avoiding foods that are extremely sugary or that are highly acidic can also help minimize your discomfort after getting a filling.

Taking supplements like clove oils (also known as Eugenol) can help with inflammation around the tooth. Ask your dentist about getting some in the dental section of your pharmacy.

• Composite Fillings: Composite fillings are the same color as the person's teeth and keep the teeth a natural color. People like how these fillings don't change their natural smile. These fillings tend to need to be replaced more often but are much more aesthetically pleasing.

Its recommended that you don't chew hard foods for a few hours after you get your fillings till the anesthetics wear off. You could end up biting the inside of your mouth and not even knowing it. Choosing soft foods like mashed potatoes is wise until the numbness wears off.

Avoiding very hot or cold foods can help keep you from experiencing that unpleasant "zing" of pain that often accompanies hot or cold food/drink touching the surface of your new tooth.

Chew on the other side of your mouth and try to find soft foods to eat while the filling sets in. If you get composite fillings, you should be OK to eat harder foods within a few hours after the filling is put in.

We all understand that fillings are often critical to being able to save a tooth that has begun to decay. Here at Marie Simon Dentistry, we also believe that there are no better teeth than your own. If you need fillings put in or replaced, please feel free to contact us to set up a consultation appointment at your earliest convenience. You will no longer have tooth pain, and you will be smiling like new.