When decay has broken through the enamel, a filling is what stops it going further. We clear out the decayed tissue, clean the cavity and rebuild the tooth with a composite resin matched to the shade of the tooth beside it.
Size is what determines how long a repair lasts. A small filling in a tooth that is otherwise solid can serve for many years; a large one in a tooth with thin remaining walls is working much harder. That is the practical case for coming in twice a year rather than when something starts to ache — the same problem is a simpler, cheaper fix earlier.
We check the fillings you already have at every visit. Old ones develop gaps at the edges where decay creeps back underneath, and replacing one before that happens is far less work than treating what is hiding under it.
Common questions
Will anyone be able to tell?
Not in normal conversation. Composite is shaded to your own teeth, unlike the silver amalgam fillings many people had as children.
How long does the appointment take?
A single filling is usually well under an hour, start to finish.
Do I need to be numbed?
For most fillings yes, and it is the part people worry about rather than the drilling. Tell us if you have had a difficult experience before and we will go slowly.
Questions about dental fillings?
Call the office and ask. We'd rather talk it through than have you guess from a website.