Understanding Dental Fillings
What are dental fillings?
A dental filling is when part of a tooth that is decayed or broken is replaced by a material such as composite. That is the actual filling. A filling is used to replace decayed or broken tooth structure in a tooth to restore that tooth to its proper form and function.
Can dental fillings be avoided?
Yes, fillings can be avoided as long as you're practicing good oral hygiene, such as brushing, flossing, using a water pick, seeing your dentist regularly, and visiting your hygienist every 6 months for cleanings and having proper x-rays.
However, if a cavity or part of the tooth is broken, then there would need to be something placed, such as the filling, to restore that tooth to its proper form and function.
Can dentists do a filling without drilling?
Technically, yes, you could do a filling without drilling in a case where a tooth is most likely chipped or fractured. In those cases, you could do bonding with a white filling or a composite filling and bond material to that tooth to replace the part that was chipped, fractured, or broken. Most of the time, though, fillings do require some drilling in the tooth to place them, remove the decay, and smooth that tooth out, creating a nice form for that tooth to allow the filling to be put in.
What are the common types of fillings in dentistry?
There are white fillings or composite or resin fillings. Those are all under that same umbrella.
There are amalgam fillings or silver fillings. The silver fillings were the older fillings, the ones that were first developed.
There are gold fillings that are not commonly used today because of the cost of gold in the material.
Most commonly, the types of fillings that are being used routinely in the office are white fillings, probably 90% of the time, but there are still instances where silver fillings are done. Either way, we will decide which will be the best type of restorative material for that filling in your particular case.
Can my dental fillings match my tooth color?
The answer is yes. For a white filling, resin filling, or composite filling, we select a shade of that filling to match your tooth. We try to have the patient take part and take a look to see how that shade would look. We can give options, but we will not let you walk out with a shade that is not perfect for your tooth.
Do dental fillings hurt?
Dental fillings usually are done under local anesthesia, where you receive an injection to numb the area so that when the tooth structure that's decayed or broken is removed, nothing hurts. While placing the filling, you may feel a little pressure when the filling is going in, but nothing should hurt at all. The bands that are put in place to make the walls of the tooth also do not hurt due to the local anesthesia. If anything, you feel a little pressure and might feel some of the water used being cold or the airflow from the suction.
Can I brush my teeth after having a dental filling?
Yes, I would love you to brush and floss your teeth after getting a dental filling. In cases of a white filling, as soon as the filling is placed, it's hardened via a light. That filling is ready to be used for eating, brushing, and cleaning. You'll be able to do that without any restrictions immediately after the procedure is done. I would love you to brush, to floss, and to use a water pick regularly.
Do dental fillings need to be replaced?
Yes, dental fillings typically need to be replaced if there is a recurrent cavity underneath the filling, if a filling breaks or becomes dislodged from the tooth, or if additional tooth structure is lost. In those instances, we will evaluate the situation on a case-by-case basis and decide if it's best to replace the filling with a new one or if something larger is necessary, such as a crown, in which case there's too much tooth structure that's broken where a simple filling or a pin-retained filling is not going to be strong enough for the long-term health and stability of your tooth.
How much do dental fillings cost?
Tooth fillings are cost-dependent based on the size and location of the teeth. In general, larger fillings are more expensive. Fillings generally cost in the area of $200 to $450. With that said, if you have dental insurance, even though our office is fee-for-service, we will always send in your X-ray in a pre-authorization of the filling to try to give you the best estimate of what your insurance benefit would be and what your out-of-pocket cost would be.
We do our best at Bense & Lopatofsky Dental to give you an estimate based on the number of surfaces that we think the filling is going to cover, with minor changes if that filling ends up being a little bit bigger than we initially thought based on the X-ray.
When should I schedule a dental appointment if I think I need a filling?
If you think you need a filling, generally there's some type of reasoning behind that. Usually, it's either sensitivity, a gentle ache, maybe a throb occasionally in the tooth, or perhaps drinking something very cold or just breathing in some cool air, like if you're outside taking a walk.
My best suggestion, if you have that feeling, is to call and make an appointment with either the dentist or your hygienist to be evaluated, where an X-ray would be taken, and the dentist would recommend, based on what we're seeing, whether to do the filling. It's best not to wait because that cavity, if present, will only get bigger and become more sensitive, more painful, and ultimately more expensive and complicated to fix.
If you’re looking for dental care you can trust, call us at (570) 682-5050 or email [email protected]. We’re here to help you have the smile you've always wanted!