Fillings

Dental cavities are so common, you'd be hard pressed to find a person who has never had any teeth filled. In fact, the average adult has 10 decayed, missing, or filled teeth.

Simply put- a dental cavity is a hole in your tooth. We get cavities because we eat sugar and drink acids that break down our teeth. Certain bacteria in our mouths are really good at using those sugars to multiply and create even more acid that further break down our teeth.

So when we don't clean our teeth and eat the right foods, we create the perfect environment for the bacteria to dig a hole in our teeth and infect them. Generally speaking, unless you mechanically remove the bacteria and infected tooth material, that cavity will get bigger and bigger.

A filling is a solution to fixing small to medium sized cavities. The portion of the tooth that's infected is removed, cleaned with a safe acid, and then filled with a resin material that looks and acts similar to your tooth.

Tooth sensitivity for a couple days after your filling is done is normal. Sometimes it takes our teeth time to adjust to the new material. Prolonged sensitivity or soreness after the first few days the filling is placed is a sign that you should revisit your dentist. Usually these problems can be fixed with a simple adjustment. You don't even need an appointment, just walk in and we'll do our best to see you ASAP.

Fillings don't last forever. If you don't change the habits that caused the cavity in the first place, you're likely to need to have these fillings replaced periodically. When cavities get too big and break down larger portions of the tooth, a filling may not be the right treatment and can cause the tooth to break.

A Note on Metal Fillings: Happy Teeth Dental Centers doesn't use metal fillings. Ask your Happy Teeth Dentist about the pros and cons of replacing old metal fillings.