WatchDental Fillings

What happens during a filling, start to finish

Few procedures in dentistry are as common, or as important, as the filling. Once decay has carved out a cavity, a filling clears away the damaged portion and rebuilds the tooth so it goes back to doing its job. Caught while it's still small, the entire visit is quick, comfortable, and wraps up in a single appointment.

Here's what that visit looks like. A local anesthetic numbs the tooth, the decayed material is carefully removed, and the resulting space is rebuilt using a filling material matched to your situation.

Material choice comes down to a few options. Tooth-colored composite tends to be the go-to for visible teeth since it blends right in, while silver amalgam and gold still have their place on back teeth where strength matters most. We'll talk through which one suits your tooth and your own preference before any treatment starts.

A suspected cavity is worth acting on quickly. Treated now, it's a straightforward filling. Left alone, it can escalate into needing a crown or a root canal. Routine checkups and cleanings at Dr. Raffi General & Implant Dentistry exist to catch cavities right at that easy-to-fix stage.

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