Dental Fillings
South Tulsa Smiles is your leading Tulsa Dentist office that offers comfortable service like no other dentist in the area. Our team provides a relaxing process of filling in cavities or problem areas in teeth.
What are Dental Fillings?
Dental fillings are commonly used to repair and replace damaged areas in a tooth. These places have usually been worn away by decay or trauma. Filling in this tooth area will help maintain the tooth’s integrity and prevent more harm to the enamel. Overall, a filling can be an essential preventative measure against losing a tooth. Fillings are made up of a variety of materials like metal amalgam, porcelain, and composite resin. Getting a dental filling is mostly painless due to local anesthetics, but we also offer sedation for our patients who need it. Sedation will ensure the process is quick, easy, and completely painless for you.
Do I Need a Dental Filling?
The most common condition that requires dental filling is a cavity. Cavities are common among patients, especially young ones, and are small decay spots due to oral bacteria. Our dental team will remove these decay areas and fill the space with a strong material that repels bacteria. The decay won’t progress, and the tooth will remain strong. Filings will also strengthen the tooth against cracks or chips. Common signs of having a cavity are below:
- A toothache that is recurring and dull
- Your tooth is sensitive to hot and cold foods or drinks
- Any darkening on the tooth itself
- Continual bad breath
- Pain when you bite down
Not all cavities have these symptoms, however. Some cavities do not give any signs until they have become severe. This is why regularly seeing our South Tulsa Smiles team is vital to your dental health. We will scan and check your teeth to ensure that there are no hidden problems in your mouth. Call us as soon as you begin experiencing the typical symptoms since severe cavities can negatively affect the tooth’s integrity and lead to more significant problems.
Occasionally, we will need to use fillings for a problem other than a cavity. If a tooth has been chipped, a dental filling can quickly fix it. Dental fillings can also replace parts of a tooth worn away by decay or other issues. Fillings can aid in restoring a tooth and ensuring that it doesn’t weaken or experience more decay. Fillers, in the end, can help ensure you don’t lose a tooth. Today, we use several different filling materials, including metal amalgam, porcelain, and composite resin. The material is usually determined by why the filling is needed.
Common Filling Materials
Metal Amalgams
Metal fillings are still a durable option that some patients chose. Gold fillings are among the most durable materials and can last a lifetime, and silver fillings often last for over ten years. Sometimes patients will choose metal fillings for cavities and chips in back molars. These teeth are not as prominent and take on the heaviest brunt of chewing. These days, metal fillings are affordable and usually mix tin, copper, and other materials.
Composite Resin
Composite resin fillings are made from a specific material that contains ceramic and often silica for strength. These are popular for problem areas that can be easily seen in the front of the mouth. The composite resin’s color can be directly matched to your teeth’ shade, making it an aesthetic choice for your mouth.
It’s also an excellent choice for larger cavities or problem areas since we won’t have to remove as much enamel compared to other filling types. Composite fillings will need to be replaced more frequently than metal fillings, but they are an excellent and aesthetic option.
Porcelain
Also known as inlays, porcelain fillings are a long-lasting and aesthetic solution to problem areas in your teeth. Porcelain is often used for chipped or worn teeth. Porcelain strengthens and protects the tooth while also matching your teeth’ color, so it’s a popular option.
No matter the cause, call South Tulsa Smiles today to receive the best and most comfortable dental care in Tulsa!