Restorations
What is it?
A filling is a way to restore a tooth that has been deteriorated back to its normal shape and function. By closing off spaces created by this deterioration, fillings can help prevent further decay in the affected site. The most commonly used materials for fillings include: composite (tooth colored), amalgam & gold.
How it’s Done
A typical filling procedure goes as follows:
- Local Anesthetic:Most of the time, a dentist will start by giving you an injection of local anesthetic to numb the area to be worked on. This anesthetic will assist in keeping your comfortable throughout the entire procedure.
- Removal of Decay: The dentist will remove any decay and clean the site to prepare it for the filling.
- Etching: For composite fillings, the dentist will then etch the tooth with an acidic gel to prep the space for the filling material.
- Filling Material:The filling material is then placed within the space and hardened with a curing light depending on the type of material used.
- Polishing: After the filling is placed, the dentist will polish the tooth.