Before your filling is fitted, a dental professional will clean and treat your decaying tooth or affected area. Following this, a composite filling material is placed into the tooth to restore your smile! In day to day cases, this treatment is undergone using a local anesthetic to numb the surrounding area of your mouth, however, it is not always necessary.

How do I know if I need a filling?

Decay can be tricky, sometimes it causes immense pain or sensitivity, and at other times you won’t feel anything at all. If decay is severe, you might even be able to spot a hole in the outer layer of your tooth’s enamel. Although, in most cases, you will only uncover decay through dental X-rays or check-ups. Regular trips to the dentist are the best way to say on top of your dental health and catch signs of decay early on. Early identification of decay means that effects can be treated without the need for dental fillings, so frequent attention is worthwhile. A decay that is left for too long can cause long term damage to the tooth and eventually travel to your nerve, meaning you could be at risk of needing root canal treatment.

Which type of filling is best?

Not all tooth fillings are made the same, but your dentist will help you to determine which type of filling is going to be right for you and your smile. This will be based on how severe your dental damage is, where you need the filling and if you have any allergies. The most common dental filling materials include: