Having Cavities Repaired

Posted on: 10 January 2018

If you have developed cavities, then you may find yourself concerned about the cavity filling process. This can be especially true if you already tend to have a fear of the dentist. You'll be glad to know that the process is a fairly simple one that is also quite painless.

You will need an initial exam

The first thing that needs to happen when it comes to dealing with cavities is to have a full exam done. During the initial exam, the dentist will visually examine your mouth and teeth. They will use a handheld dental tool with a pointy end to poke your teeth looking for soft areas that are at greater risk of cavities and damage. They will also have x-rays taken of teeth that they feel may have issues. 

Having your cavities filled

The first thing the dentist will do in order to prepare your tooth for a filling will be to thoroughly clean the tooth by using hand-held dental tools. Once the cavity is cleaned, the dentist will put a jelly-like substance on and around the area that will numb it. They will then give you a shot that will complete the numbing process. The dentist may use a rubber dam to target the tooth and catch drool and chips of your tooth, so you don't swallow them. The dentist will then use a small dental drill to drill out the decay.

As long as you have chosen to go with a filling material your dentist can apply in their office and right away, you can have the filling taken completely care of right away. If you go with another material, such as porcelain or gold, then you may need to have a temporary filling put in until your permanent one comes back from a dental lab where it will be made.

If the filling will be put in by the dentist, then once the dentist has put the filling material in the cavity, they will use special tools to shape the material to look just like it should. They may use a special light to help harden the material. After the cavity is filled, you will still feel numb for a few hours, so you need to be sure you are careful not to bite your mouth by accident. The best way to do this is to avoid eating until the numbness has worn off.

If you have a bad cavity that has left your tooth in bad shape, then the dentist may want to put a crown on it. This way, they can make sure the tooth is going to be strong, so you won't have to worry about it breaking due to its weaker state.

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About Marcel and the Dentist

Hi, my name is Marcel. Welcome to my site! I started it to help others learn about children's dentistry. Most of us don't remember dentist trips from our early childhood. Maybe we didn't even really care about our teeth until we started losing baby teeth. In my case, I became interested in children's dentistry as a young father. When my kids were young, I was a student, and our insurance did not cover visits to the dentist. Although my wife and I tried to teach our kids good hygiene on our own, it was difficult. When we we finally able to take them to the dentist, my little girls were scared and didn't know what was going on. Luckily, they appreciate the dentist now that they are older, but their first experiences helped teach me more about the importance of children's dentistry. Hopefully you can learn from my experiences!