Clinical review: Dr. Samreen Ejaz, BDS, RDS ·
What a filling can fix
A filling replaces lost tooth and gives you a surface you can chew on and keep clean. It suits a cavity, a chipped corner or an old filling that has failed. A big crack, a tooth that has lost a lot of structure or an infected nerve may need something else. And a dark spot on its own doesn’t always mean you need a filling.
Composite or glass ionomer?
We offer two tooth-coloured materials. Composite can be shaped in fine detail and matched to your tooth shade, but the tooth must be kept very dry while it goes in. Glass ionomer is a different material that handles differently. We may choose it for certain spots, or as one step in a longer plan. So calling something a white filling doesn’t tell the whole story.
What happens at the appointment
Dr. Samreen examines the tooth, any old filling and your bite, and may take an X-ray to see how far the decay goes. Where it’s needed, we numb the tooth with local anaesthetic. We clean out the damaged part, then place the filling and shape it. Last, we check your bite carefully, because a filling that sits too high can hurt when you chew.
If the cavity is deep
When decay reaches close to the nerve, we may need to protect the nerve first or plan a different treatment. If the nerve can’t be saved, root canal treatment may be the next step. Sometimes we place a temporary zinc oxide filling to settle the tooth. That’s a short-term step, and we’ll plan when to review or replace it.
After your filling
Don’t chew on that side until the numbness wears off, and follow the advice for your filling material. Keep the edges clean. Call us if the bite feels high, food keeps catching or the sensitivity lingers or gets worse. A filling can be repaired or replaced later, but every replacement takes a bit more tooth, so stopping new decay really matters.
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
Questions about dental fillings
Which filling will look most natural?
Composite can be matched and shaped to blend in with your tooth. But looks are only part of it. Where the tooth is, how deep the cavity goes and how much chewing it takes matter too.
Would a crown be better?
If a lot of the tooth is missing, it may need a crown rather than another big filling. Ask Dr. Samreen to show you how much tooth is left and why she’s suggesting one over the other.
Should I replace an old filling just because it looks dark?
Not on colour alone. We check the seal, the tooth around it and any symptoms before suggesting a replacement.
This is general information. What’s right for your tooth depends on what Dr. Samreen finds when she examines it.
Background reading: ADA: tooth-coloured fillings. These are overseas sources, so their prices and rules don’t apply here.