Bonded Fillings

When do I need a filling?

Bonded fillings (sometimes just referred to as fillings) are required when a tooth is suffering from a cavity. A cavity happens overtime from the natural bacteria that resides within your mouth.  The bacteria eats the food that is left behind on your teeth and creates acid.  This acid slowly breaks down your tooth structure, creating a cavity. 

As a cavity grows and makes its way into the inner layer of the tooth, a filling must be done to stop the process.  If a filling isn’t done in a timely manner, a cavity can move all the way to the nerve in the middle of a tooth and cause a toothache, and has the potential to lead to a much larger cavity and oral health issue if not caught.

How do tooth fillings work?

Fortunately, fillings are a very simple solution for cavities!  A dentist will remove the decayed tooth structure, making sure that the tooth is cleared of all decay and cleaned of all debris. The gap created is then replaced with a strong filling material that looks like a natural tooth.  The filling material is bonded to natural tooth structure to help prevent the frequent loss of fillings.

Composite is the most common filling material used, and consists of many materials mixed together to form a filling.

Composite fillings are placed in your tooth in a soft form, and require a blue light to activate it and harden it. This allows us to form the filling to the new tooth preparation, and make it fit your tooth perfectly. Then when we use the light, the material hardens and is suitable for chewing.

Do tooth fillings need any special care?

After your filling is in place, it is important to take proper care of your new tooth filling. This includes regular brushing and flossing at least once a day, accompanied with regular cleanings and checkups. It is important to have a dentist regularly check on your filling, to make sure that no cracks have formed and that it is still properly in place.

Contact us today if you have a cavity that needs to be filled, or if you would like an exam of your teeth to see if you have tooth decay.