Dental fillings are common, but if it is your first time having this treatment, you may feel a bit apprehensive. Knowing what to expect will help you feel more comfortable and relaxed.
In this guide, we explain what will happen right from your initial examination to placing the actual filling.
What to Expect During Your Initial Dental Exam
Your dentist can assess if you need a filling during your dental exam. Using a special probe, they will carefully check every tooth for signs of decay and infection. If they suspect you need a filling, they will almost certainly want to take a digital dental X-ray.
The digital dental X-ray is an excellent diagnostic tool, producing a high-quality image of your tooth. It enables your dentist to see if any infection and decay is present and its progression. The image allows your dentist to plan your treatment properly and provide a proper treatment plan.
After your dentist has finished examining your mouth, they will go over your treatment plan with you, discussing what type of filling you may need, its size, and the associated costs.
Different options may be available depending on the type of filling material used.
What Are the Different Types of Filling Materials?
A dental filling can be direct or indirect, depending on the size of the filling and the type of material chosen.
Direct Fillings
Direct fillings are when the filling material is placed chairside, so your dentist will prepare your tooth and insert the filling material during the same appointment.
Direct fillings can be made from:
- Amalgam.
- Composite resin.
Amalgam is a silver-colored material made from several different metals, including mercury. It’s been used for many decades to fill teeth and is hard-wearing, durable, and inexpensive.
However, many dental offices are now amalgam-free since newer materials are more biocompatible with your teeth and virtually invisible. Another potential problem with amalgam is that it does flex when it comes under pressure and when you eat or drink anything hot or cold. Continual flexing can eventually create micro-cracks in your tooth, weakening it.
Composite resin is highly biocompatible and comes in a huge range of shades, making it easier for your dentist to match the color to your natural tooth. It is strong and durable but will cost a bit more than amalgam.
However, your dentist needs to do less tooth preparation for a composite resin filling than an amalgam filling, helping protect and preserve the maximum amount of healthy tooth structure. Also, because it is biomimetic, composite resin does not flex when it comes under pressure or in contact with hot or cold.
Indirect Fillings
Indirect fillings are made outside your mouth, so your dentist will prepare your tooth and then take a dental impression. The impression is used to create your new filling. You may need a second appointment to fit the filling. In the meantime, a temporary filling will be inserted into the tooth to protect it.
Indirect fillings can be made from:
- Porcelain.
- Gold or precious metal alloy.
A porcelain filling is called an inlay or onlay and is made from a strong ceramic material. Porcelain is a biomimetic material that bonds very well with your natural tooth, creating a durable and beautiful restoration. Once in the mouth, your filling should be practically invisible.
Some porcelain fillings can be made while you wait, depending on whether your dentist has CEREC technology. If they do, they will take a digital dental impression, design your new filling, and then send it to the on-site milling machine. Your filling will then be milled from a block of pre-shaded porcelain before it is hand-finished, glazed, polished, and ready to fit.
A gold filling is also called an inlay or onlay, and the gold or precious metal alloy is polished to a high sheen to look good. However, it will be quite visible in the mouth.
Gold is a good metal for restorations since it is durable and long-lasting and will not harm your opposing teeth. This restoration must be made in a dental lab, so you will need a second appointment.
Preparing Your Tooth for a Filling
Regardless of which filling material is chosen, your dentist must prepare your tooth to receive it. Before they begin, they will numb your tooth using a local anesthetic, so please don’t worry that you will feel any discomfort or pain.
If you feel especially anxious, then discuss these fillings with your dentist. They may recommend using light sedation like laughing gas or Nitrous oxide to help you feel more comfortable and relaxed during your treatment.
When the tooth is numb, your dentist will isolate it with a rubber dam to keep it dry. They then remove all the damage, infection, and decay, carefully shaping the cavity for the new filling material.
Some dentists use a traditional hand drill to shape a tooth for a cavity. Others may use a dental laser.
Inserting Direct Filling Material
Once the cavity is shaped and cleaned, your dentist will apply a conditioning liquid to prepare it for the filling material. The conditioning liquid helps the filling material bond more strongly.
Amalgam is inserted directly into the cavity and is shaped and polished. Your dentist will check it doesn’t interfere with your bite.
Composite resin is inserted into the cavity in small increments. It is hardened using a special blue light before being shaped and polished. Your dentist will also check to see if your bite is comfortable.
The Process for Indirect Fillings
At this stage, the process for an indirect filling may be slightly different. If your dentist can make the filling while you wait, you simply need to relax until it is ready to fit. Once it is ready, your dentist will try it in to check the fit is perfect before bonding it in permanently. Finally, they will adjust the bite if needed, and you will be ready to go home.
Otherwise, your dentist will make a temporary filling, usually from a resin material, which is tooth-colored and bonded into your tooth with temporary cement. Temporary fillings are more delicate, so you must take extra care not to dislodge or break the filling until your new filling is ready to fit.
It can take up to 2 weeks to make an indirect filling in a dental lab, so once it is ready you return for your second appointment. Your dentist will remove the temporary filling, try in your new inlay or onlay, and bond it permanently into your tooth.
What to Expect After You Have a Filling
It’s a good idea to wait until your mouth is no longer numb before you have anything to eat or drink to avoid biting the inside of your mouth or your tongue. Once the anesthetic wears off, your newly filled tooth may feel a bit more sensitive, especially to hot and cold. This is perfectly normal and should only last a few days.
If you notice any discomfort when you bite down on your filling, you may need to return to your dentist to have the biting surface adjusted. It could be a bit high and filing it down will ensure you can bite down comfortably.
Caring for Your Filling
After you have a filling, practicing good oral care at home is important. Ensure you brush your teeth at least twice daily and floss daily. Good oral care will help your filling last longer.
Your dentist can check the condition of your filling at every appointment. Fillings should last several years before they need replacing. As they start to age, it’s important to replace them in a timely fashion. Delaying could mean a filling starts to crumble or leak, allowing infection-causing bacteria to enter your tooth and cause problems.
It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on your fillings, and if you notice one has come loose, dropped out, or broken, get in touch with your dentist to have it replaced.
If you need a dental filling, there is no need to worry. Treatment is quick and non-invasive and helps to protect your tooth, restoring it to full strength and structure.