Cavity Fillings
Repairing cavities with fillings is a very common practice. We use both white (composite) filling and glass lonomer filling material. Comfort and quality are at the heart of our dental filling process.
The most common dental procedure performed in our office is Dental Fillings. There are two materials that we use when filling cavities.
White (Composite) Fillings – these are resin based materials and are bonded to your existing teeth. The major advantage of white fillings is that they match your existing tooth color.
Glass Ionomer Filling – these are resin modified fillings that are used for fillings that occur along the gum line. The two advantages over composite are that they release fluoride and they work in a moist environment. The main disadvantages are that they are less aesthetic and weaker then composite fillings.
Are white fillings sensitive? Generally speaking white fillings are not sensitive. Newly placed fillings may be mildly sensitive but this will usually subside on its own. At Summerlea Dental we place a strip designed to desensitize nerves under ALL fillings to help eliminate pain.
What if the doctor says my filling is deep? A deep filling means that the decay (bacteria) is close to the nerve of the tooth. If the bacteria reaches the nerve, that tooth will need a root canal. If a filling is very close to the nerve, Dr. Jomha will place a special liner (Theracal) under the filling. This supplies antibacterial and desensitizing properties to the filling. If the tooth causes pain or infection in the future, it will most likely need a root canal.
Learn more about dental fillings and see them in action in our Dental Case Studies:
