What Actually Happens When You Have a Filling?

Fillings are probably the most well known dental treatment. Ask anyone in your life and the chances are they have had a cavity patched up with a filling in the past.

A filling helps to restore your oral health by removing the damaged portion of your tooth and then patching this up with an artificial material. A small hole is drilled into your tooth to remove any material damaged by decay, and then the hole is filled – hence the name, fillings.

We all know that they can be a little uncomfortable, but that the discomfort doesn’t last for long. Once the tooth has been restored, the damage will no longer spread. Fillings are available in dark grey or, more commonly, in a tooth-coloured shade.

Beyond this limited knowledge, not many of us are well-versed in the filling process and procedure. In this guide, we’re breaking down the steps involved in diagnosing the need for a filling and how your dentist carries out this procedure.

If you’re due to have a filling procedure, you might feel better knowing exactly what is going on. Read on to learn more about dental fillings, why we need them and what is involved with treatment.

When would you need a filling?

Fillings play an important part in protecting teeth in the long term, and allowing people to keep their own teeth and avoid the need for an extraction. When a cavity appears in a tooth, this is caused by plaque breaking down the tooth’s protective enamel.

Decay will attack the tooth and start to break down the soft tissue inside the tooth. To stop this process in its tracks, your dentist will remove the infected portion of the tooth and then fill this hole with a special material. This is also known as a filling.

Fillings might also be used to patch up teeth following chips or cracks, but an inlay or onlay might be more common in this situation. If a filling wouldn’t be strong enough to fill the gap, then a crown might be recommended.

What are fillings made from?

There are two main types of fillings used by dentists: amalgam and composite. An amalgam filling is generally referred to as a mercury or silver fillings, although they actually contain mercury, silver, tin and copper.

Amalgam fillings are hard-wearing and work well on back teeth, however their colouring makes them noticeable and they are generally avoided for dental repairs at the front of the mouth.

Composite fillings are often referred to as ‘white’ fillings owing to the fact that they are coloured white to make a more natural blend with teeth.

Made of a plastic resin mix, these can be closely matched to the colour of the teeth and, as such, are less noticeable and ideal for more visible parts of the mouth. They are, however, less durable and may need to be replaced within 10 years.

How is a cavity filled?

The process of filling a tooth will often depend on the location of the decay in the mouth. To make patients comfortable during the procedure, your dentist will numb the area to be worked on using local anaesthetic.

First they will numb your gum with a topical anaesthetic and then they will use a very fine needle to completely numb the area. The effects of this can last a few hours, so it’s a good idea to have some tissues with you as your mouth might produce more saliva than usual.

Once the area is completely numb, your dentist will then clear out the decayed part of the tooth using a small dental drill. Next, they will prepare the area ready to accommodate the filling. A suction machine is also used at the same time to remove water generated by the drill – as well as any fragments that are removed from the tooth.

The dentist will then fill the hole with whichever filling material is being used. Amalgam fillings need a larger hole in order to be effective, so more of your tooth material may be removed in order to make room for the filling.

With composite fillings, less of the tooth needs to be removed. In the case of composite fillings. a bright light is shone on to the material to harden and strengthen it. This process is also known as curing.

If the space to be filled is very large, it extends beyond the cusp of the tooth, or if the tooth is very weak, your dentist might recommend an inlay, onlay or crown restoration. This is a porcelain or zirconia restoration that provides more coverage and greater strength.

Your dentist will then check how well your filling fits with the rest of your teeth by asking you to bite down on a piece of carbon paper. If necessary a dental drill will be used to improve the shape of the tooth.

Once the procedure is complete, your tooth will be free from decay and you shouldn’t have any further issues with dental pain.

How long does a filling last?

This all depends on how well you care for your teeth and how often you visit the dentist for checkups. It is possible for your filling to come loose. This is particularly common when chewing very sticky sweets, so we would recommend cutting these out of your diet once you have a filling.

With the right care, your dental filling should last for a minimum of 10 years and it could last much longer. Composite fillings and fillings that are on the cusp of the teeth are also more likely to wear down prematurely. If you grind your teeth at night, you are also at increased risk of losing your filling sooner.

Does a filling hurt?

No, you shouldn’t be in any pain during the procedure. You might feel some unusual sensations, but these aren’t painful. Examples include the feeling of the needle in your gum when your dentist injects the anaesthetic. This feels strange, but the surface of your gum will be numb, so it won’t hurt.

Next, the drill might sound strange, but it won’t hurt. You might feel pressure on your tooth when your dentist is pressing the amalgam filling down. You may also feel a strange scraping sensation as the filling is shaped. All of these sensations will feel strange, but they won’t hurt.

Once your filling procedure is completed, you’ll no longer have any pain from your dental decay.

Caring for your filling

Now that your dental health is restored, you might want to pay close attention to your teeth so that you don’t have to go through the process again. Start by making sure that you brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes at a time. This will help to remove bacteria build up from your teeth and gums.

Next, you should make a note in your diary to book an appointment with your dentist in another 6 months. Committing to twice annual checkups will help you to stay on top of smaller dental health issues before they become much more serious.

Dental fillings are often required because the early signs of the decay are missed. If you wait until you are in pain before you get treatment, then the damage will already be done.

If you lose your filling or the tooth chips around it, it’s essential to visit the dentist as soon as possible. If the filling comes loose or the tooth is chipped, this will leave the tooth vulnerable to infection. If this happens, you could be facing a much more lengthy procedure like a root canal treatment, or you might even need to have the tooth extracted.

Through early intervention and preventative measures, you can restore your oral health and prevent issues from becoming much worse.

Closing thoughts

The procedure for filling a cavity is incredibly fast and highly effective for saving your teeth from dental decay. If you are delaying treatment because you are concerned about the potential for pain, don’t worry.

Your dentist will make sure you are completely numb throughout the process so you shouldn’t feel a thing. If you’re very nervous about dental treatment, our team can help you to overcome your phobia.

If you are worried you have a cavity and may need a filling get in touch with Bhandal Dental Surgery. Please don’t ignore dental pain and hope that it goes away, as they issue will only get worse the longer you leave it.