Your oral hygiene and the cosmetic appearance of your teeth are important to us here at Peak Dental Arts. And, we know how important it is for you to have a beautiful, confident smile. Dental fillings are made to blend in with your natural teeth and protect you against cavities and other oral issues.
According to the CDC, 90% of the population will have at least one cavity. Dental fillings are one of the quickest dental procedures. They are the most common way to remove a cavity and protect your tooth.
Our Dental Fillings Process
We utilize tooth-colored “resin” for our fillings here at Peak Dental Arts because it wears just like your natural teeth.
Prepare Your Tooth
First, we’ll prep the area around your tooth by using a bit of topical anesthetic or minor injection, so your gum is numbed. Preparing your tooth is actually a very easy and quick step!
Remove The Cavity
We’ll use special tools to remove the decayed or damaged areas of your tooth.
Filling and Seal
Then, we’ll fill the open area of your tooth with tooth-colored resin. We may add an adhesive or composite material overtop of your tooth to protect and seal it from future decay.
Polish and Refine
We may then smooth out any rough edges and polish your tooth, so it looks and feels natural. The procedure doesn’t take too long, and you will be able to eat and drink later the same day once the numbing has worn off.
Why We Use Resin Fillings
There are a few different types of fillings, so you might be wondering which one is best. Here at Peak Dental Arts, we only use tooth-colored restorations. Also known as white fillings, composite resin is actually made of fine quartz or glass to produce a natural, tooth-colored material.
- Resin does not damage your tooth or surrounding teeth because it doesn’t expand. This means that composite resin fillings “stay” only where placed, making it easier to fill the precise space we need to fill, cover or protect.
- Composite resin fillings also are fast so we can complete the filling process quickly and in a single appointment.
- Our resin contains fluoride, which helps to prevent further decay and more tooth problems in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dental Fillings
In the past, many dental practices used silver linings instead of resin. We do not use silver linings, and we are a mercury-free practice. Silver linings are a poorer quality filling and can easily weaken and wear down.
When this happens, the tooth can be vulnerable to cavities again. The mercury in silver linings can also leak into the gums.
Yes. If you have silver linings on some of your teeth, we can replace them with tooth-colored restorations.
When your tooth develops a cavity, the affected part of the tooth decays, causing bacteria to spread to your gums and surrounding teeth. During a filling, we remove the decay and fill your tooth to protect it from future decay and bacteria.
Dental fillings usually take less than an hour. Our dental team will prep you for the filling, and then Dr. Lanik will come in and complete the procedure. Afterward, our team will explain how to care for your filling. We will also go over cleaning tips to make sure you need fewer dental fillings in the future.
You can prevent cavities by practicing good oral hygiene, like brushing and flossing twice daily. Refrain from eating sticky candy and drinking sugary drinks, such as soda. And, of course, visit our office for regular dental cleanings to catch cavities early.