Dental fillings treat cavities in your teeth. Fillings can also address cracks or chips in the teeth. The point of a dental filling is to fill an area that has become sensitive to decay. If you need fillings due to tooth decay, reach out to our team today at 972.335.2201.

What Does the Procedure Look Like?

When you go into the dentist, neither of you will probably be aware of the fact that you are going to need dental fillings until they take a look at your mouth. Once our team has discovered that you need fillings, the dentist will assess whether you both have the time to take care of the problem then. If so, the dentist will make preparations. To start, your dentist will apply a local anesthetic.

Next, your dentist will remove any decay that needs to come out. They will test to make sure they’ve removed all decay, including all bacteria and debris. If the damage is near the root or bottom of the tooth, there might be a couple of extra steps.

Once our dentist has removed the decay, your dentist will add the filling composite. The filling will be polished, and you will be all done!

Once you have your filling in place, you should make sure to keep up with your oral hygiene so that you do not get more cavities in the same tooth or other teeth. You will also want to avoid overly sticky and crunchy foods. Sticky foods can pull the fillings out, and crunchy foods can damage the filling material.

What Does the Procedure Look Like?

A long time ago, fillings were often created from lead. Since then, we learned that it is not healthy to ingest lead. Therefore, new materials have come into favor over the use of this metal for fillings. Dentists sometimes only use preferred fillings. Due to cost, sometimes they use specific fillings, and other times they choose a type of filling for aesthetic reasons.

  • Gold fillings: Gold fillings are durable and can last up to 15 years. Some people prefer to have gold fillings because they like the look of them. When placing gold and silver fillings next to each other, they can cause a shock or pain to the patient, so this is not the best treatment. Additionally, gold fillings are expensive, and they will take an extra visit to the dentist to put them in place.
  • Silver fillings: Silver fillings last as long as gold fillings. Silver fillings often cost much less than other types of fillings. Some people don’t want silver fillings because they don’t match their teeth. This kind of filling can also discolor the teeth. Additionally, some people are allergic to silver, and silver will expand and contract with temperature changes, which could cause pain.
  • Tooth-colored composite: People like composites because they match the color of their teeth, so the fillings are not easily noticed by others. These fillings, however, only last around five years. Composites can be a filling material. They can also fix cracks or chips, and they will not expand and contract with temperature changes. These types of fillings can be expensive, and your insurance policy may not cover this treatment.

Contact Frisco Dental Today

Need a dental filling in Frisco, TX? Frisco Dental offers a range of fillings for both adults and children. Give us a call today at 972.335.2201 to find out how we can help you replace old fillings or keep an eye out for new ones you may need in the future.