Fillings

You may require a filling when a dental cavity causes symptoms including:

• Toothache
• Bad breath or poor oral hygiene
• A dark spot is visible on the tooth surface
• Pain or sensitivity when eating or drinking

When you come in for your consultation, we’ll advise you on the most appropriate treatment to repair your tooth, which may involve a filling.

To diagnose the extent of a suspected cavity, we often start by taking dental X-rays of your mouth and teeth.

Dental cavities caused by tooth decay that form under the surface of the tooth are often practically invisible.

At the start of a filling treatment, your dentist will administer a local anaesthetic, which numbs the area around the damaged tooth.

When the cavity has been exposed, the damaged or decayed parts of the tooth are removed. The cavity is then thoroughly cleaned out and disinfected.

Depending on your treatment plan, your dentist will then use grey dental amalgam or tooth-coloured composite resin to fill up the cavity and repair the tooth.

The filling sets very quickly, after which any rough spots can be smoothed off. Your dentist will make sure there is no discomfort when you close your teeth together.

You may notice the filling in your tooth when you leave the dentist. However, most patients are able to eat and drink normally in the first few hours after the treatment.