Safeguard Your Smile and Prevent Tooth Decay with Fillings.
At our dental office, dental fillings are a common procedure we perform to repair and restore teeth, effectively preventing decay and infection. We primarily use composite resin as the filling material, which seamlessly blends with the natural colour of your teeth and forms a strong bond. This allows us to fill smaller spaces with minimal drilling, ensuring that your teeth maintain a natural appearance and feel. Our priority is to deliver dental care that is both effective and comfortable, while also being minimally invasive.
What makes fillings essential for maintaining good dental health?
Taking prompt action in addressing tooth fillings is vital for maintaining optimal dental health and preventing the escalation of more severe problems. Here are some reasons why fillings are essential:
- Preventing cavity progression: Timely filling of cavities can halt their advancement and prevent them from growing larger.
- Preventing painful infections: Tooth decay can lead to painful infections or abscesses, which can be avoided by filling the cavities promptly.
- Restoring tooth strength: Cavities can weaken teeth, making them more vulnerable to damage. Fillings restore strength and durability to the affected tooth.
- Cost-effectiveness: Getting cavities filled early is more cost-effective in the long run, as it helps prevent the need for more extensive and costly dental procedures.
- Improved comfort: Tooth fillings can reduce sensitivity to hot and cold, providing greater comfort and alleviating discomfort.
- Preserving your natural smile: By promptly filling cavities, you can preserve your natural smile for as long as possible, maintaining the appearance and functionality of your teeth.
Addressing tooth fillings promptly is crucial for maintaining dental health and preventing the progression of more significant issues in the future.
What is the process of filling a cavity?
Painless Numbing
Prior to commencing the cavity filling procedure, we prioritize the comfort of our patients by thoroughly numbing the gums. We recognize that this step may cause some anxiety, but it is crucial for ensuring a painless experience. To achieve this, we employ a gentle freezing technique, which effectively numbs the area surrounding the tooth. Rest assured, our approach minimizes discomfort, allowing you to undergo the procedure with ease.
Filling the Tooth
Once we have ensured your comfort during the numbing process, we proceed with meticulous cleaning and preparation of your tooth. An adhesive gel is applied to the affected tooth, which acts as a foundation for the subsequent steps. We then expertly mold and sculpt a composite resin, which is a white filling material. This resin is carefully shaped to match the contours and bite of your tooth, resulting in a seamless and natural-looking restoration.
Setting the Composite
The composite resin material used for filling or bonding your tooth undergoes a curing and hardening process with the aid of a specialized LED light. This light promptly sets the material, ensuring its durability and stability. Following this step, the dentist conducts a thorough examination of your tooth, making any necessary finishing touches. Finally, your tooth receives a final polish, resulting in a natural and seamless appearance that blends harmoniously with your smile.
What is the Cost of a Dental Filling in Kitchener?
Fillings are considered a routine and highly effective method for preventing and addressing dental problems, which is why most insurance companies offer significant coverage for them. With a typical insurance plan, you can expect to pay anywhere from $0 to $100+ for fillings. In the absence of dental insurance, the cost can range from $120 to $300 or more, particularly if multiple fillings are required simultaneously.
When determining the actual cost of your treatment, we take into account several important factors:
- Your current oral health.
- The number of fillings needed.
- The location of the cavities in your mouth.
- The necessity for any new x-rays.
- The amount of time required by the dental team to address your specific needs.
- The equipment and supplies necessary to fulfill all your requirements
At our practice, we prioritize promptly filling cavities, as fillings are highly effective in preventing more invasive treatments, alleviating serious dental pain, and ensuring your happiness and overall health.
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Composite fillings, also called tooth-coloured fillings, are composed of a combination of plastic and glass materials that are designed to match the natural colour of your teeth, resulting in a more attractive appearance than traditional metal fillings. In contrast, traditional fillings are a mixture of metals, such as mercury, silver, tin, and copper.
Yes, one of the main advantages of composite fillings is that they can be precisely colour-matched to the shade of your natural teeth, providing a seamless and natural appearance.
Yes, composite fillings can be used to replace old amalgam fillings if desired. This allows for a more discreet and natural-looking restoration.
Composite fillings can be used for small to medium-sized cavities. For larger cavities, alternative restorative options such as inlays, onlays, or dental crowns may be more suitable.
To maintain the longevity of composite fillings, patients should treat them the same as natural teeth by practicing good oral hygiene habits such as brushing and flossing regularly. Attending routine dental checkups is also important to ensure the filling is in good condition and functioning correctly. This will help prevent the need for additional dental work in the future.
