Dental fillings are a standard procedure to address damage caused by tooth decay. The process is relatively painless and can be completed in approximately an hour. Cavities are common among adults and children in the United States. According to the National Institutes of Health, 92 percent of adults aged 20 to 64 have experienced cavities.
Dental fillings help prevent further decay and allow the teeth to function normally. If you’re scheduled for a filling, this blog will provide you with the necessary information about what to expect during the procedure.
What to Expect When Getting Dental Fillings
The dental filling process is relatively straightforward. Your dentist will examine your mouth using instruments to check the cavity. They may also take X-rays of the tooth or teeth to determine the extent of the decay affecting your tooth.
You will receive a local anesthetic to numb the area and prevent any pain. If the filling is on the tooth surface, anesthesia may not be required. Once your tooth is fully numb, the dentist will likely use a dental drill to remove the decayed portion from the enamel. Less common techniques such as using a laser or air abrasion tools are available but not widely used.
After removing the decay, the dentist will sterilize your tooth and prepare it for the filling. Some filling materials are hardened with light. Finally, the dentist will polish the tooth and check to ensure your bite is correct.
You may experience some soreness or sensitivity in the tooth after the numbing medication wears off, but you should not experience any pain. You should avoid extremely hot or cold foods and beverages for a couple of days, but you can generally resume normal eating habits.
What Types of Fillings Are Available?
Dental clinics offering filling services provide different materials for filling cavities. Some of the most common and widely used filling materials include:
- Silver-Colored Fillings: Also known as metal amalgams, these fillings are a combination of mercury, silver, copper, and tin. They are known for their durability and affordability compared to tooth-colored materials.
- Tooth-Colored Fillings: Tooth-colored fillings or composites are a mixture of glass and quartz particles and acrylic resin. This filling material is durable but more expensive than metal amalgams.
- Gold Fillings: Gold fillings, a mix of gold, copper, and other metals, are incredibly durable but also very expensive. They are not aesthetically pleasing and require two appointments as the dentist must take impressions of your tooth and have the filling fabricated in a lab.
- Porcelain Fillings: Porcelain fillings are as expensive as gold fillings but have the advantage of being aesthetically pleasing. Like gold fillings, they are made in a lab after your dentist takes impressions of your tooth.
Time Required for Dental Fillings
The dental filling procedure typically requires an hour or less. Simple fillings can be completed in about 20 minutes, while larger or multiple fillings may take longer.
The type of filling material you choose determines whether the procedure can be completed in one visit or requires a second visit.
Composite resin fillings, which are layered into your tooth, require more time but can be completed in a single visit. Some composites are made from impressions of your tooth and require a second visit for bonding.
Gold or porcelain fillings, also known as inlays and onlays, require two visits because the dentist cannot complete the procedure in one appointment. During the first visit, your dentist will remove the decay and take impressions of your tooth for the dental lab to fabricate the filling. You will return for a second visit to have the filling bonded to your tooth.
If you need an older filling replaced, the treatment time required is similar to the original filling or longer, especially if the old filling material needs to be drilled out. The old filling and cavity are cleaned before inserting the new filling material.
As you can see, the dental filling procedure is relatively quick and can often be completed in a single visit, depending on the chosen filling material.
Dental Fillings in Iselin and Kendall Park: Quick and Reliable Cavity Repair
At United Dental Group of Iselin and Kendall Park, we specialize in giving dental fillings to repair cavities and restore your teeth’s functionality. Our expert dental practitioners offer quick, effortless strategies to assist avoid assist witdecay. Residents in Iselin, NJ 08830, Kendall Stop, NJ 08824, and adjacent towns can effectively get to our services inside a 0-15 mile sweep.
In case you’re looking for dental fillings near me in Edison 08817, Metuchen 08840, Fords 08863, Woodbridge 07095, Monmouth Junction 08852, or Princeton 08540, our exceedingly skilled dentists are prepared to help. Our clinic provides a assortment of filling materials, including silver-colored fillings, tooth-colored fillings, gold fillings, and porcelain fillings, guaranteeing a arrangement custom-made to your dental needs.
Iselin Location: Located in Iselin, NJ, 08830, our dental clinic serves patients from nearby towns including Edison, 08817, Woodbridge, 07095, Metuchen, 08840, Fords, 08863, Perth Amboy, 08861, Colonia, 07067, Avenel, 07001, Rahway, 07065, Carteret, 07008, South Amboy, 08879, Clark, 07066, Linden, 07036, Cranford, 07016, Roselle, 07203, Union, 07083, Plainfield, 07060, Piscataway, 08854, Sayreville, 08872, South Plainfield, 07080, Scotch Plains, 07076, North Brunswick, 08902, New Brunswick, 08901, and Highland Park, 08904.
Kendall Park Location: Our Kendall Park office, located in Kendall Park, NJ, 08824, also provides top-notch pediatric dental services to families from nearby towns, including Princeton, 08540, Franklin Park, 08823, Monmouth Junction, 08852, South Brunswick, 08810, Dayton, 08810, North Brunswick, 08902, East Brunswick, 08816, South River, 08882, Milltown, 08850, New Brunswick, 08901, Somerset, 08873, Rocky Hill, 08553, Plainsboro, 08536, Lawrenceville, 08648, Jamesburg, 08831, Cranbury, 08512, Monroe Township, 08831, Kingston, 08528, South Brunswick, 08810, and Helmetta, 08828.
What to Anticipate Amid the Dental Filling Method
Our dental filling process is quick and direct. Whether you’re in Colonia, Avenel, or Rahway, we guarantee a comfortable experience for patients across Piscataway 08854, New Brunswick 08901, Franklin Stop 08823, and East Brunswick 08816. We utilize present day methods to remove decay, fill the cavity, and polish your tooth, ensuring your comfort throughout the process.
Our Kendall Park and Iselin locations provide a range of filling materials, including durable silver-colored fillings (metal amalgams) and tooth-colored fillings for a more common appearance. In case you lean toward gold fillings or porcelain fillings, our expert dental specialists offer these alternatives as well, guaranteeing long-lasting, aesthetic arrangements for patients in North Brunswick 08902, Somerset 08873, Carteret 07008, and Plainsboro 08536.
dental fillings, dental fillings near me, silver-colored fillings, tooth-colored fillings, gold fillings, porcelain fillings, dental fillings in Iselin NJ, dental fillings in Kendall Park NJ, Edison 08817, Metuchen 08840, Fords 08863, Woodbridge 07095, Monmouth Junction 08852, Princeton 08540, Colonia, Avenel, Rahway, Piscataway 08854, New Brunswick 08901, Franklin Park 08823, East Brunswick 08816, North Brunswick 08902, Somerset 08873, Carteret 07008, Plainsboro 08536, Clark 07066, Linden 07036, Cranford 07016, Roselle 07203, Union 07083, South Plainfield 07080, Sayreville 08872, Helmetta 08828, Jamesburg 08831, Rocky Hill 08553, Milltown 08850, South Brunswick 08810, Dayton 08810, Scotch Plains 07076, Monroe Township 08831, Lawrenceville 08648, Cranbury 08512, Highland Park 08904, South Amboy 08879, Perth Amboy 08861.