Dental filling for cavities: Things you should know

Untreated cavities can cause cavities to develop and affect deeper layers in the teeth. In the long run, it can lead to serious toothaches, infections, and fractures. Cavity filling is a widely used solution in these cases, especially at an early stage.

What is tooth decay?

Tooth decay is a common condition due to the invasion of pathogenic bacteria combined with the acid fermentation process from sugary and starchy food, which destroys and erodes tooth enamel.

This process usually occurs below the surface of the tooth so it is very difficult to identify, after a period of time there will be some small holes on the tooth surface. This condition is common in children due to eating habits and poor oral care.

There are 3 common forms of tooth decay:

• Pit and fissure decay: Appears on the biting surface of the molar teeth or between teeth gaps.
• Root decay: Appears in the root of the tooth whose gum is receded, the root has no protective enamel.
• Recurrent decay: This occurs underneath existing dental restorations due to food plaques.

Every tooth decay should be detected early and treated properly to avoid future complications causing tooth damage.

Common signs when you have tooth decay:

• Toothache
• Smelly breath
• Small cavities appear in the teeth
• Teeth are sensitive to hot and cold.
• Black and white spots appear on the tooth surface (inner and outer faces).

You should visit your doctor as soon as you have any unusual dental health symptoms.

Why do you need cavity filling?

Cavity filling is a technique of restoring damaged teeth by using specialized filling materials to fill in gaps of the tooth surface.

If you do not get a cavity filling, you are at risk of:

• Chewing function: Affected, causing pain when eating.
• Appearance: Causes bad breath, loss of esthetic, and makes you afraid to communicate with other people.
• Complications: In the long run, if left untreated, tooth decay will attack tooth enamel, the pulp system, and the nervous system. Besides, tooth decay may also cause bone resorption affecting the surrounding teeth.

Therefore, you should have a cavity filling to prevent dental and oral disease, as well as taking advantage of the following benefits:

• Help you chew food easier
• Lower cost compared to other orthodontic methods if the condition gets worse.
• Won’t take you long!
• Prevent cavities to be recurrent
• Help cavities to be filled, ensure the esthetics for your teeth.

Tooth decay after being cleaned and filled will help the biting surface of the molars be flatter, making it easier for you to remove food debris on the teeth. Since then, destructive activities of the bacteria will decrease, prevent tooth decay.

Cavity filling procedure

Below are cavity filling procedure step-by-step:

• Examine and diagnose tooth lesion
• Plan specific treatment
• Clean and scrape off the decayed part of the tooth
• Use composite material filling and shape it accordingly.
• Freeze the composite filling with the curing light
• Trim off and polish the filling

Learn more: Tooth fillings and everything you need to know

Cavity filling aftercare

• See the dentists every 6 months
• Use a soft-bristle brush to brush your teeth twice a day. Brush correctly to keep teeth clean and safe from harm.
• Avoid eating and drinking within 2 hours after getting cavity fillings
• Avoid eating foods that are too hard, too hot, or cold
• Limit dark-food such as coffee, black tea, etc. since they can discolor the fillings
• Choose toothpaste and mouthwash with high fluoride (about 0.2%)

Cavity filling may only take about 30-45 minutes. The important thing is that you need to maintain good daily oral care habits to protect fillings as long as possible!

Cavity fillings at The East Rose Dental

The East Rose Dental (Old Rose Dental Clinic) is a licensed operating clinic certified to be able to perform dental check-ups and treatment.

With modern technology equipment and highly qualified staff, The East Rose Dental (Old Rose Dental Clinic) shortens the time it takes for a cavity filling treatment effectively. With composite material filling, The East Rose Dental (Old Rose Dental Clinic) will help you adjust the color to match the teeth so that the filling looks like real teeth, as well as limiting the possibility of recurrence.