When do you need dental fillings?

When someone experiences toothache is when they suspect dental fillings are required. A tooth filling is a dental restoration procedure in which the decayed or damaged tissue of the tooth is removed and restored with a resin-based composite or most commonly known as a white filling. If this decay has advanced too close into the nerve, causing irreparable damage, a filling will not be the most recommendable treatment.

Possibly a root canal, even a buildup, or dental crowns in Tijuana might be required instead. Therefore, as soon as you notice black or dark brown spots in the enamel of your teeth, especially on the occlusal surface, these will most likely be cavities, you need to go to a dentist for a proper diagnosis. Having regular dental checkups can prevent out of control damage.

A regular dental checkup can prevent a tooth from requesting major treatment. Prevention is always the best option. When a cavity or decay is detected at an early stage, the solution would be simple: just a single day appointment for a dental filling.

What are the signs of needing a dental filling?

The most common symptom is pain or discomfort, but before you go thru an intense toothache, there are other early-stage signs, such as:

• Sensitivity to certain temperatures
• Sensitivity to pressure
• Sensitivity to particular acid or sweet foods

Do not wait until a severe and throbbing pain occurs when biting or chewing, get an appointment with specialized dentists in Tijuana as soon as possible before it becomes a more significant issue.

Before

Here are some visual signs of needing a dental filling:

• Dark spots on your teeth
• A hole in your teeth
• Food always getting stuck between a specific place in your teeth
• Your floss tears within a particular spot
• A chipped or broken tooth

Types of dental filling material

There are two main types of dental fillings, which are:

• Amalgam: It is a silver filling that takes 24 hours to harden, every day is used less and less because is not esthetic and among its components there is mercury, a substance that has been proven to be harmful for the human body.
• Composite: It is a white-colored filling, made of resin, the tendency of modern dentistry is to eliminate the metals in your mouth, for esthetic and health purposes, therefore composites are a great option for amalgam replacement, filling new cavity formations and chipped teeth.
  

  After

Dental filling procedure

The dentist will start with a clinical oral evaluation and periapical x-rays on your molars and bicuspids, to confirm or discharge the formation of cavity, specially between your teeth since these areas are not visible to the naked eye. Once the dentist knows, by reviewing your x-rays, if there are cavities and how deep these cavities are, they will determine if fillings are the most recommendable treatment plan. If dental fillings are the recommended procedure or treatment plan, these are done in one session; in a standard case, it could take more than a single appointment if different teeth are affected by cavities.

Local anesthesia will be applied on the area of tooth that needs to be treated, blocking any sensation on that area. If by any chance you are anxious during dental procedures, talk to your dentist about it, take a playlist and a pair of headphones to listen to it during your procedures, this will help you be more relaxed.

Dental filling aftercare

Depending on the dental filling material used, your dentist will provide specific aftercare information. Most commons aftercare guidelines are the following:

• Avoid hard, sticky, spicy, and sweet foods
• Be considerate with the amount of pressure used when chewing
• Take your time to readjust your chewing rhythm
• Avoid extreme temperatures for your food or drinks

What factors determine the longevity of your dental filling?

The size and location of the dental filling is a major determinant of the lifetime of it. Another important factor is your eating habits, it’s important to avoid chewing into hard food such as ice or even objects, by doing this and improving your oral hygiene your dental fillings can last approximately five years before you have to replace it for a new one.

Get in contact with your dentists in Tijuana today.