Tooth Fillings

What are Dental Fillings and Why are they Used?

A dental filling ‘repairs’ a hole or gap in a tooth with restorative material when its structure has been weakened or damaged, usually by decay. The main reasons for filling a tooth are:

Cavities
Wear and tear
Fracture

At Available Dental Care, tooth filling treatment is a quick and easy procedure. Patients are first given local anaesthesia to numb the affected area of the mouth to make you comfortable during the procedure. We also use a topical anaesthetic gel prior to any injection. We have patented Vibraject which uses strong vibration to reduce discomfort.
Then our dentist gently removes any decay or damaged tooth structure. The space is then filled with layers of the composite resin, shaped, and hardened with a special light in between each layer to restore the tooth’s functionality and shape.
White coloured tooth fillings aren’t always suitable for larger cavities. Instead, our dentists use ceramic inlays or onlays which are milled here onsite using CEREC technology enabling them to be placed during the same visit using state of the art computer aided design or CAD-CAM.

Inlays are fabricated in one solid piece, designed to fit the specific shape and size of the cavity and are cemented in place. Precision is essential to prevent bacteria and food from getting into the space, which is what caused the tooth decay in the first place. Onlays, on the other hand, are also made from a single piece of ceramic but fit over the tooth’s cusp, covering and protecting the weakened or cracked tooth from further deterioration.

Of course, the best way to avoid tooth fillings is to eat a healthy diet and keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy with regular brushing and flossing.