Dental Fillings

Cavities are areas on the surface of your tooth that have been permanently damaged, usually due to decay. The most common causes of this decay are diet, with foods/drinks that are high in sugar being a well-known culprit for tooth damage, as well as poor oral hygiene. Cavities are very common and can occur in anyone, including infants.

Whilst they may be common, that doesn’t mean cavities should go left unchecked. Over time, if a cavity isn’t dealt with, it can lead to all kinds of issues, from bad breath, infections, intense tooth pain and even the loss of the tooth if it gets to a point where the damage cannot be repaired.

Some common symptoms of a cavity include:

Visible pits forming in the tooth
Pain when biting
Intense temperature sensitivity on teeth
White, black or brown tooth staining

Whether or not you believe your issue to be a cavity, any noticeable change in your oral health or teeth should be looked at and observed by a dental professional. So, next time you find that you’re experiencing pain, discomfort, a change in sensations, or visible symptoms, get it checked out by the specialists at Chesterville Dental.

Historically, one of the most common forms of dental filling has been amalgam fillings. This blend of metals, including zinc, mercury, copper, tin & silver has been used in fillings for well over 150 years and is still very common today. However, whilst the Australian Dental Association has maintained the safety and effectiveness of amalgam, new options have arisen in recent times that allow for a more naturally coloured finish and don’t require the use of materials like mercury.

With the advancement of technology, we are now able to fill teeth with composite white fillings which look and feel like natural tooth substances and are very strong without any mercury or harmful substances. Rest assured that we only use the highest quality composite/white filling material from reputable dental companies to fill your teeth.

High-quality Dental X-rays are useful to help detect some of these cavities, especially if they are between your teeth or under existing old fillings. From there, we can work with you to explain areas of concern and the number of fillings that will be required. Luckily, the process of providing fillings is very quick, generally requiring less than an hour (depending on the number of fillings required).

We always include the use of topical anaesthetic when necessary and our “computer guided tooth anaesthesia system” also known as “the wand”. Your comfort is always front-of-mind at Chesterville Dental and will make every effort to minimise or eliminate pain during our treatments.

It depends on the size and severity of the filling(s). It also depends on the level of hygiene that you put into maintaining the fillings. On average fillings last around 5-7 years.

Composite dental fillings attach to the rest of the tooth causing them to work together. This means that these types of fillings do not weaken the tooth.