Restorative & Implant Care
Dental Fillings in Jenkintown, PA
Removing the decay, then rebuilding what it took.
A filling is two jobs in one appointment. The decayed tooth structure is removed so nothing is sealed in, and the space that leaves is rebuilt in a material bonded to the sound tooth around it.
Exceptional care for a lifetime of healthy smiles
Fillings at MVP Family Dental
Decay does not stop on its own. Bacteria in plaque produce acid, the acid dissolves mineral out of the enamel, and once the surface breaks the process continues into the softer dentine underneath, where it moves faster.
Catching it early is the entire reason for routine examinations. A small cavity is a straightforward filling; the same cavity left alone becomes a crown, or a root canal, or an extraction.
Why teeth decay
Frequency, not quantity
The single most useful thing to understand about decay is that it is driven by how often the teeth are under acid attack, not by how much sugar is eaten at once.
- Acid attacksEvery time sugar reaches the plaque, acid is produced for a period afterwards. Six snacks means six attacks.
- Where it startsBetween the teeth and in the grooves on top of molars – the places a toothbrush reaches least well.
- Saliva’s roleSaliva neutralises acid and returns mineral to the enamel. A dry mouth, from medication or otherwise, raises risk considerably.
- It is often silentDecay usually causes no pain until it is deep, which is why it is found on examination rather than reported.
How the appointment works
Usually one visit
A straightforward filling is completed in a single appointment, and you leave with the tooth restored rather than with a temporary.
- Numbing where neededLocal anesthetic is used where the cavity is deep enough to need it. Small, shallow ones sometimes do not.
- Removing the decayThe affected tooth structure is removed so nothing is sealed in underneath the restoration.
- Placing the fillingThe material is bonded into the prepared cavity and, for composite, built up in layers and set.
- Shaping and checking the biteThe filling is contoured and polished, and the bite is checked so nothing sits high.
The materials
What a filling is made of
Which material suits a tooth depends on where it is, how big the cavity is and how much biting force it takes. Your dentist will explain the choice for yours.
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Composite resin
Tooth-colored, bonded to the tooth and built up in layers. The usual choice where the filling will show.
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Larger restorations
Where a cavity is too large for a direct filling to hold, an inlay, onlay or crown may be recommended instead.
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Repairing old fillings
Existing restorations can fail at the margins over time, letting decay in underneath. Those are replaced rather than patched.
What happens if it waits
Decay does not pause
The reason we recommend treating a small cavity promptly is not urgency for its own sake. It is that the cost of waiting is not linear – decay reaching the nerve turns a filling appointment into root canal treatment, and the tooth is never quite as strong afterwards.
If a filling has been recommended and you are unsure, ask why that tooth and why now. There is always a reason, and it should be one you find convincing.
- Small cavityA straightforward filling in a single visit.
- Deeper decayMore tooth is lost, and a larger restoration or a crown may be needed.
- Reaching the nerveRoot canal treatment becomes necessary to keep the tooth at all.
Tell us about
- Sensitivity to cold, heat or sweet things, and how long it lasts.
- Food catching in a particular spot.
- Any tooth that feels rough or chipped to the tongue.
- Dry mouth, or medications that cause it.
After a filling
A day or two of adjustment
Some sensitivity to temperature after a filling is common, particularly where the cavity was deep, and it usually settles. If it persists, worsens, or the tooth is sore to bite on, contact us – a filling that sits fractionally high is easily adjusted and there is no reason to put up with it.
Wait until the anesthetic has fully worn off before eating, since a numb lip or cheek is very easy to bite without noticing.
Every filling started as something that could have been found earlier.
MVP Family Dental · Jenkintown, PA
The short answer
A filling restores a tooth damaged by decay, a crack or a fracture back to its normal shape and function. It is two jobs in one appointment: the decayed tooth structure is removed so nothing is sealed in underneath, and the space that leaves is rebuilt in a material bonded to the sound tooth around it. Tooth-colored composite resin is the usual choice, built up in layers and set with a curing light, with the bite checked afterwards so nothing sits high.
Dental Filling Questions
- Does having a filling hurt?
- Local anesthetic is used where the cavity is deep enough to need it, so the procedure itself should not be painful. Small, shallow cavities sometimes do not need numbing at all. Tell your dentist if you feel anything. Wait until the anesthetic has fully worn off before eating, since a numb lip or cheek is very easy to bite without noticing.
- Why does my tooth need a filling if it does not hurt?
- Decay usually causes no pain until it is deep. That is precisely why it is found at an examination rather than reported by the patient. Decay does not stop on its own, and once the surface breaks it continues into the softer dentine underneath, where it moves faster. A small cavity is a straightforward filling, while the same cavity left alone becomes a crown, a root canal, or an extraction.
- What are fillings made of?
- Tooth-colored composite resin is the usual choice. It is bonded into the prepared cavity, built up in layers and set, then contoured and polished. Where a cavity is too large for a direct filling to hold, an inlay, onlay or crown may be recommended instead. Which material suits a tooth depends on where it is, how big the cavity is and how much biting force it takes.
- Will the filling show?
- Composite is shade-matched to the tooth around it, so it is not conspicuous in normal use. It is the usual choice where the filling will show. The filling is contoured and polished at the end of the appointment, which affects both how it looks and how it feels to the tongue.
- How long do fillings last?
- It varies with the size of the filling, where it is in the mouth and how much force it takes. Fillings are checked at routine visits and replaced when the margins start to fail. Existing restorations that fail at the margins let decay in underneath, so those are replaced rather than patched.
- My tooth is sensitive after a filling. Is that normal?
- Some sensitivity to temperature is common after a filling, particularly where the cavity was deep, and it usually settles. If it persists, worsens, or the tooth is sore to bite on, contact us. A filling that sits fractionally high is easily adjusted and there is no reason to put up with it.
- Can a filled tooth decay again?
- Yes, at the margins where the filling meets the tooth. Cleaning between the teeth daily is what protects those edges. Old restorations can fail at the margins over time and let decay in underneath, which is why they are checked at routine visits. Where that has happened the filling is replaced rather than patched.
- How do I avoid needing more?
- Reduce how often sugar reaches the teeth rather than only how much. Every time sugar reaches the plaque, acid is produced for a period afterwards, so six snacks means six acid attacks. Clean between the teeth daily, since decay starts between the teeth and in the grooves on top of molars where a toothbrush reaches least well. Keep to your examination schedule so anything new is found while it is small.
Dr. Vineetha Thomas, D.M.D.
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Dr. Priya Mathew, D.M.D.
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