Common Signs You Need Fillings

Taking care of your dental hygiene is a big part of your overall health. Besides a regular brushing and flossing routine, it is important to watch out for signs and symptoms that may suggest the need for dental fillings. Undiagnosed dental problems can become a huge problem later in your life, and can keep adding to dental decay for years. In this post, we discuss some of the common signs and symptoms that indicate you may need a filling for your tooth. 

What is a Dental Filling?

Tooth fillings are materials that bond to your teeth, are made from non toxic substances that are put onto your teeth to restore a hole in your tooth, or to repair a chipped tooth and return it to its original shape. there are usually three types of fillings that dentists work with; they are composite and GIC (Glass ionomer cement) and are white in colour, and a third type is called amalgam which is a silver coloured filling material. Fillings can last a long time, if the need for them is detected early and they are taken care of after the procedure. Smaller fillings tend to generally last more time, while bigger fillings may need more precision to place. 

When do You Need a Filling?

There can be several reasons why you may need a tooth filling. Some of the common signs are experiencing sensitivity while drinking or eating very hot or cold liquids and foods, such as iced drinks or icecream. You may also have a toothache that gets worse with time, and makes it difficult to bite or chew. The pain sometimes extends to your gums, and swelling may accompany it. The dentist will often ask you about the intensity of the pain, and the frequency as well. Sometimes, painkillers help to temporarily relieve the pain. Tooth decay can affect your teeth severely, if it is not addressed in time. Tooth decay affects the layers of your teeth and is caused by acids in the plaque biofilm sitting on your teeth. Dental decay if in small amounts is in most cases always treated with a filling to avoid further progression of the cavity. Serious decay however requires more complex treatments - if the nerve is involved a root canal treatment or extraction is required.  Bigger carious lesions can be restored with either a bigger filling, overlay or crown. 

Other Reasons Why You May Need a Filling

Apart from the most common reasons such as toothache from tooth decay, or sensitivity while biting or chewing that require you to consult a dentist and perhaps having a filling, there may be other factors such as a hole or a gap in your teeth that seems to increase with time, dark spots that you may notice, food impaction (food getting stuck between your teeth), rough or fractured teeth and floss that keeps tearing everytime you use it in a particular spot. You may also need to redo a lost or broken filling so consult your dentist for the same.

Make sure you are aware of these signs and symptoms that may require a filling and work your way to a beautiful smile! 

What Would Happen if You Never Treated a Cavity?

Dental cavities can be a hassle for busy people who are short of time. Although ignoring the pain and discomfort of tooth cavities isn’t advisable. The outcome for ignoring a decaying tooth or cavity can only be further deterioration. Here is a guide to learning what happens when you leave a cavity untreated.

Further deterioration and decay

Ignoring a cavity means that it will inevitably grow in size. Additionally, dental decay will make tooth structure brittle and prone to cracking and the bacterial infection (tooth decay) is likely to compromise surrounding teeth as well.  At an early stage dental decay would would most likely result in a tooth filling, which is generally successful and straightforward.  

Severe nerve pain

A consequence of dental decay can be pain which can’t be conveniently ignored as a cavity progresses. The decay eventually reaches the nerve. At this stage, routine dental fillings won’t be enough to solve the problem. A solution would be either a root canal treatment or tooth extraction.

Bacterial infection

A bacterial infection may arise in the  jaw bone when bacteria destroy the pulp/nerve in the middle of the tooth.  This could lead to a change in the pain symptoms and sometimes swelling of the gum around the area. Also bacterial infection in the gum and bone can lead to systemic infections (ie infections and inflammatory damage elsewhere in the body like cardiovascular disease)

Serious illness and death

In the days before modern technology in western countries, serious illness and death as a result of a tooth cavity were more commonplace. Nowadays it’s rarer, but it’s still technically possible. Although this article isn’t an attempt to scare-monger it does aim to help people to consider real risks. The rule of thumb is that tooth cavities evolve and worsen quickly. The results to your health, well being and wallet can be disastrous.

Staying on top of your dental hygiene

The good news is that to mitigate against the damage caused by cavities, you can make some regular routinized changes to your life. When practiced daily, these changes will keep cavities at bay.

• Brush twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Clean in between your teeth daily with dental floss
• Eat nutritious, balanced meals and avoid sugary snacks between meals.
• Visit your dentist regularly for a general check-up. A regular oral examination will rule out the vast majority of problems. 

Having regular check-ups for cavities ensures that these horrible outcomes remain worst-case scenarios that only happen to other people. Speak with Milford Dentists about a broad variety of services we offer, including cosmetic dentistry, tooth whitening services, fillings, dental implants, orthodontics and braces. Our dental services cover the full spectrum of life-long care and our patients and their families are happy with our services. 

10 FAQs about Fillings

What is a filling?

A filling is a procedure used to restore a hole in a tooth, or to repair a chipped tooth and return it to its original shape. Dentists use materials that bond to your teeth, and are non-toxic.

How do you know when you need a filling?

Sometimes there are no signs that you have decay in your tooth - The cavity can only be seen by a dentist and sometimes only seen on an x-ray. However if you do have symptoms commonly the first sign that you need a filling is sensitivity or even pain while eating or drinking sweet or very hot or cold foods and drinks. 

How does a dentist place a filling?

After deciding a filling is a good option and after discussing whether the procedure may be uncomfortable you may ellect to have a local anaesthetic that will numb the tooth and area around it.  Once the area is numb the decay is removed and a color-matched filling is bonded into place. 

Does getting a filling hurt?

Filling procedures are normally painless due to the anaesthetic that dentists use. There may be discofort and bruising after your procedure caused by the numbing process and sometimes trauma to the gum around the tooth - the gum sometimes needs to be pushed aside to place the restoration successfully. Your tooth may be sensitive for a while and this, in most cases subsides over a couple of days. If your filling is deep and close to the middle of the tooth where the nerve is, and feels like it is not settling, contact your dentist for advice. It maybe that your tooth may require further treatment such as a root canal treatment or (worst case scenario) extracting

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What are fillings made from?

You may have heard of fillings being made of many different materials: while in the past the most common materials were mercury-silver amalgam and even gold, today at Milford Dentists we use colour matched tooth coloured composite resin - this consists of glass beads in a plastic matrix. We also use glass ionomer filling material which slowly release fluoride and works very well in some decay prone areas of the mouth

What are ‘amalgam’ fillings?

Amalgam fillings have been very popular over the past 150 years of dentistry, and while known as Amalgam, are mostly made up of 50% mercury and metals like silver, tin, zinc and copper.  At Milford Dentists we offer an Amalgam Filling Removal service, for customers wanting to replace these fillings with white composite fillings.

Why go for Composite fillings?

1. White fillings bond to your teeth making your tooth stronger
2. They are colour-matched and can blend into your smile
3. See our blog "why choose white or tooth coloured fillings"

How long do fillings last?

While many sources will tell you that fillings will only last 5-7 years, white composite fillings can last for over many many years if they are well looked after by both dentist and patient. Of course, maintaining a high daily level of oral hygiene is a good start to making your fillings last, but your smoking status and dietary choices can also affect how long a filling lasts.

Will fillings look unnatural in my smile?

One of the most important benefits of white composite fillings is that they visually match the rest of your teeth, and can brighten your smile overall. 

 How can I book a consultation for fillings?

You can contact Milford Dentists on the phone or online to ask about booking a consultation for fillings or filling removal. With a particular interest in placing white composite fillings and cosmetic dentistry, we promise not only to fix your problem tooth, but also to improve your smile and send you out the door looking happier than ever!