Treating Cavities in Houston with Dental Fillings

Dental fillings are a way to repair a tooth that has been fractured or damaged by decay. These fillings not only restore the appearance of the original tooth, but they also strengthen it from the inside.

Fillings are applied during a single visit to your Houston dentist and multiple fillings can be done at once if needed.

While many people are apprehensive about getting fillings, modern medical techniques reduce the discomfort experienced during the drilling and afterward, all pain will be gone.

When it’s Time for a Filling

How do you know if you need a filling for your tooth?

Most often, you will notice a sudden sharp pain in a tooth as you bite down on something. A cavity caused by bacteria opens up a small portion of your tooth and exposes the very sensitive dentin inside.

When anything comes in contact with the dentin, whether it’s extreme heat or cold, or too much pressure, it can cause it to ache.

A filling protects the dentin and seals the tooth up to prevent more bacteria from getting inside.

How Filling Procedures are Conducted

When you get a dental filling in Houston, your dentist will administer a local anesthetic to the area around the tooth or teeth to be worked on.

The anesthetic will dull the senses of the nerves for that tooth and the surrounding gum tissue, making drilling far less uncomfortable.

If you feel like you need it, your dentist can also administer sedation using nitrous oxide gas or through IV sedation. If you are getting sedation, it is highly recommended you have someone bring you to and from your dental appointment.

Sedation dentistry is continually regulated and you only get the lowest amount necessary, so there’s nothing to worry about with it.

After the anesthetic and any sedation is administered, your Memorial dentist will begin drilling the affected tooth.

The drilling is only necessary to remove damaged tooth material, which in turn removes bacteria as well.

Your teeth will also be cleaned to prevent bacteria from seeping in during or after the procedure.

Once the drilling is complete, your Houston dentist will begin filling it. The material used depends on cost, appearance, location, and allergy information.

Some fillings need to be completed in layers, which can add time to the procedure. This is another thing to consider which can affect the type of material you use.

If a filling would be too large for the original tooth to support, your dentist may recommend having a dental crown installed.

Preventing Future Cavities

Proper oral care and regular visits to the dentist are the best ways to prevent cavities from forming.

Be sure to use the proper brushing techniques your dentist demonstrates, and thoroughly clean all surfaces of your teeth.

The molars in the back of your mouth may not be as easily cleaned by a toothbrush due to their rough surfaces.

In this case, it is wise to invest in the low cost prevention of dental sealants. A dental sealant fills in the grooves of teeth, smoothing them out.

The smooth surface is far easier to clean with a toothbrush and bacteria can’t cling to the pits and gullies in the tooth to cause problems.

Dental sealants may need to be reapplied every 5 years or so, but the investment will greatly reduce the likelihood of developing cavities.