Dental Fillings in Bellevue, WA
Dental fillings are common procedures in family, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. Ultimately, tooth fillings can fix minor oral complications, leaving you with a happy and healthy smile! Learn more about the basics of a dental filling procedure, so you know what to expect for your next appointment.
What Are Dental Fillings?
Tooth fillings are composite materials that restore small-to-medium-sized cavities throughout your mouth. Generally, these tooth-colored composite fillings will rebuild the shape and function of a tooth, after a cavity has damaged it. Cavity fillings are perfect treatment options for the early stages of tooth decay or minor oral complications when the cavity is small and not too much of your tooth is affected. Caps, crowns, and bridges are reserved for more extreme dental emergencies or situations. Despite their exceptional longevity, dental fillings often require a replacement roughly every 10–12 years, just like the seal around your bathtub needs to be replaced every so often so that it doesn’t leak!
Notably, a dental filling procedure does more than just maintain your smile’s physical strength and aesthetic appeal—these composite materials can also protect the sensitive internal layer of your tooth known as “dentin.” Located just beneath the enamel, dentin is the last line of defense for nerves and blood vessels found in the dental pulp. When damaged, bacteria and other unpleasant contaminants can infect your teeth, causing a dental infection. It is always recommended to see a dentist early and regularly, so we can detect dental cavities in the early stage and treat them with a simple filling.
Preparing for Your Dental Filling Procedure
Are dental fillings painful? Fortunately, this specific procedure is one of the quickest and most pain-free operations in all of family, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry! Our friendly team administers a numbing gel and localized anesthetic (typically Lidocaine) around the tooth before beginning the procedure. Following the numbing process, the dentist will thoroughly remove the cavity or decayed part of the tooth and then place the composite material—all the while, you feel nothing! Typically, in under an hour, you can walk out of the dentist’s office with a strong, functional, and beautiful smile!
Contact our committed and friendly team at Bellevue Hilltop Dental to learn more about productive dental fillings in Bellevue, WA; we’re eager to help you and your loved ones find the very best oral health solutions and treatments!