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Dental Tooth Fillings

Dental Tooth Fillings

We all have a fear of the unknown when getting dental treatments but this fear is uncalled for, if we know what exactly will happen during your treatment.

Since our mouth is exposed to the external environment, it is infested with bacteria. These bacteria thrive in the mouth if provided with the right conditions. Every time we eat something, we provide food for them. After they eat they produce a very strong acid that eats away at our teeth. If we don’t remove this sticky layer of bacteria (commonly known as plaque) by brushing and flossing, the bacteria will keep destroying a tiny amount of our tooth structure every day until we get a hole in our teeth. These holes are known as tooth decay, cavities or caries.

 

Preparation

Step 1:

The first step when getting a filling is to make sure that the patient is comfortable throughout the procedure. Dentists usually do this by using an anaesthetic. A local anaesthetic temporarily interrupts communication between the tooth and the brain.
Firstly the dentist puts a numbing gel (topical anaesthetic) over the area. After this, the patient is given the local anaesthetic.

Step 2:

Once your mouth is numb, your dentist may use a couple of different materials to help make the filling procedure easier and more efficient.

 

 

How it is done?

  • Now that the patient is ready for the procedure, the dentist will begin to remove the tooth decay. There are a number of tools that are used to clean out the decayed portion of the tooth.
  • While the dentist is using the high-speed handpiece, the dental assistant will be holding the high-volume suction in your mouth. The high-volume suction quickly removes the water from the high-speed handpiece and any debris from your tooth.
  • Finally, the dentist may choose to finish removing decay with some hand instruments. These are simply small, metal tools that the dentist can use to refine the area where the filling will be placed or to remove any remaining tooth decay.
  • Now that the damaged portion of your tooth is gone, the dentist will replace the missing tooth structure with a filling.
  • Next, the dentist will fill the tooth and make it look like a real tooth again so that you can use it to chew food and speak.
  • After your dentist finishes filling the tooth he or she will have you bite on carbon paper to make sure the filling isn’t too high. If it is, then your dentist will lower the filling with a high-speed handpiece.
  • Finally, if there are any rough spots on the filling, the dentist can use some mild abrasives to smooth the filling and to make it feel smooth on your tongue.
There are a wide variety of materials that can be used but the most commonly used filling material is the composite resin which is a tooth-coloured material.