Dental fillings are proven effective for treating tooth decay - but like everything else in life, they don’t last forever. Circle Drive Dental patients benefit from our extensive experience with fillings: from choosing a type and executing the initial procedure, to ongoing care and replacement.

When a tooth is affected by a cavity, it begins to decay, beginning with its protective enamel. Left untreated, the decay will penetrate deeper into the tooth, eventually reaching what’s called the “pulp”: an area consisting of blood vessels and nerves. If a person’s tooth decay gets this far, the only options left are a root canal or a complete extraction. That’s why it’s important that a dental filling should be placed as soon as the cavity is detected.

During a filling procedure, our Rochester dentist removes all of the decay from the cavity and “fills” the area with a predetermined material – either silver (amalgam), gold, porcelain, or composite resin. This material is packed tight into the cavity until the tooth is restored to its normal shape and density, which allows the tooth to function again. With the filling in place, further decay is prevented and bacteria is unable to reach the previously exposed portions of the tooth.

If you feel a sharp pain in your tooth when biting down on something or chewing on food, this could be a sign of a cracked or broken filling. It’s also not uncommon for a piece of filling to break off during the process of chewing. Another symptom of a compromised filling is a sudden, consistent sensitivity to hot or cold food/beverages. Sometimes, normal movement of your tongue will bring it into contact with a rough spot on a tooth caused by a chipped filling. Moreover, it’s certainly possible that during a dental checkup, the dentist will discover a cracked or leaky filling.

In all of these circumstances, you should make an appointment with our local dentist to have the filling replaced/repaired as soon as possible.

Not surprisingly, many of the same steps you would take to prevent cavities are useful when seeking to help your fillings last longer. For example:

• See your dentist twice a year for checkups and cleaning, or more often if recommended
• Avoid chewing hard foods and ice
• Drink more water and less soda/juice
• Avoid tobacco products
• Rinse your mouth after consuming coffee, tea, and other substances that could stain your teeth
• Choose fruits and vegetables instead of sticky, sugary foods
• Brush your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day
• Floss daily

Working as many of these suggestions into your daily routine will help your fillings last longer and keep your mouth healthy and clean.

For more than a decade, Circle Drive Dental has provided Rochester residents with a full suite of dental health services, ranging from fillings and cleanings to teeth whitening and crowns. Make an appointment today and entrust your family’s oral care to our professional, caring team.