Dental Fillings

Cavities can cause small holes in your back teeth, the molars and premolars, and need to be treated so they don’t cause bigger holes and in extreme cases, tooth loss. Your dentist will use a dental filling to fill in the hole and restore the health of the tooth. The filling will help prevent further decay from building up on the tooth. Fillings can also be used to repair teeth that are cracked or broken.

Often, patients don’t realize they have a cavity as the symptoms can be subtle or unnoticeable. That’s why it is important to keep up with your regular dental checkups so your dentist can catch any issues before they become bigger problems. If your dentists suspects a cavity they will take x-rays to determine if it is indeed a filling. Cavities are seen as dark areas on the tooth in an x-ray.

In the case of a cavity filling, your dentist will first administer local anesthesia to the area around the tooth. The dentist will then clean out any decay from the tooth and clean the area. It will then be shaped to prepare it for the filling.

The dentist will then fill it with a strong composite resin. The composite resin is matched to the color of your teeth to achieve a natural appearance. The material is then hardened and shaped in order to maintain the integrity of your bite. To finish, the dentist will polish the tooth.

If you have questions or concerns about fillings, please call our office at (810) 736-9778 to speak to one of our caring staff.