Restore Decayed Teeth
Mount Pleasant Dental Fillings
If you suspect that you may have a cavity in Mount Pleasant, Dr. Candice Vinson is here to help. At Advanced Dentistry of Mount Pleasant, we specialize in restoring decayed teeth with advanced composite fillings. Learn more about the process below, or contact us now to schedule an appointment with Dr. Vinson.
Signs you may need
Dental Filling
If you suspect that you may have a decayed tooth and may need a filling, there are a number of different signs you can look out for. First, your tooth may feel sore and tender, or sensitive when you eat hot and cold foods. This is a very common early sign of a cavity.
If your cavity is more advanced, your tooth may ache for no reason, or hurt when you bite down. It may also hurt when you eat very sugary foods. Large cavities may also be visible on your tooth. Look for deep pits or holes on your tooth, or enamel that’s gray, black, or brown in color.
The importance of early treatment
With Dental Fillings
Treating a cavity early with a dental filling has a variety of benefits. First and foremost, it provides you with relief from pain and discomfort. A large cavity can cause a lot of tooth sensitivity and pain, and restoring your smile with a composite filling can help you get relief.
In addition, early treatment with a cavity will prevent further complications. An untreated cavity can easily progress to a tooth infection, which will require treatment with root canal therapy and a dental crown. This is a much longer, more invasive, and more expensive process, so getting care early helps you save time and money.
What to expect during
The Dental Filling Procedure
The process of a dental filling typically takes a single 30-60 minute appointment. First, your mouth will be cleaned and numbed to prepare for the process. You can also be sedated, if you wish.
Then, Dr. Vinson will begin the treatment by removing any decayed enamel with a dental drill. This is done to expose healthy tooth enamel, and eliminate the bacteria that cause cavities. After the tooth has been prepared, it will be cleaned and sanitized.
After this, Dr. Vinson will apply tooth-colored dental resin directly to the cavity, rebuilding your tooth structure layer-by-layer. This resin will be hardened using a UV light, and then Dr. Vinson will trim and refine the filling using a dental drill.
Finally, your bite will be checked to make sure your filling fits perfectly, and any final adjustments will be made. Then, your new tooth will be buffed and polished, and you’ll be sent home.
Does it hurt
To Get Dental Fillings Hurt?
No. Dental fillings don’t hurt at all. A filling only involves removing some of the outer layer of your tooth, so there’s no need to cut into your mouth or perform any other invasive procedures.
In addition, your mouth will be numbed during the treatment process for your comfort. You won’t feel any pain at all. Dr. Vinson specializes in caring, gentle, and pain-free dentistry in Mount Pleasant.
We also have sedation options available at our office for patients who may be worried about pain, discomfort, or dental anxiety during their filling treatment. Get in touch with our team to learn more, and to see if sedation at Advanced Dentistry of Mount Pleasant is right for you!
hOW LONG
Will My Filling Last?
At Advanced Dentistry of Mount Pleasant, Dr. Vinson uses composite fillings, which are made from a blend of glass powder and a special plastic material. These fillings tend to last between 5-8 years, but this can vary quite a bit depending on how well you care for your teeth. Some patients keep their fillings for 10+ years.
If you want your filling to last as long as possible, you should make sure you’re brushing and flossing regularly. If the tooth around your filling starts to decay again, this can cause the filling to fail prematurely, requiring you to get another one or even a dental crown. Brush twice a day for two minutes and floss once per day to keep your teeth strong.
You should also come and see Dr. Vinson for regular teeth cleanings and oral exams every six months. This helps Dr. Vinson catch any other oral health issues early, and also lets her check on the integrity of your fillings. If she notices that a filling is wearing out or may fail soon, she can schedule a quick appointment to replace it and keep your mouth healthy.
What happens if
I Don't Get a Cavity Filled?
You may think that you can get away without getting a cavity filled if you just take great care of your mouth. After all, it can’t get worse if you’re brushing or flossing, right?
Well, not quite. The unfortunate truth is that even minor tooth decay tends to lead to further decay. If you leave your cavity untreated, it will probably get worse. Your tooth could even become infected, which may require you to get root canal therapy to treat it and prevent you from losing your tooth completely.
This is because even a small cavity creates lots of opportunities for oral bacteria. Food can get stuck in the cavity more easily, which means bacteria will have more food to eat. Then, as they eat the sugar and starch particles in the food, they will excrete acid that will make the cavity worse.
And since this acid is going to collect in your existing cavity, it’s harder to clean that acid away when you brush and floss, and this will make your cavity worse over time, even if you’re doing a great job of brushing and flossing.
So if you think you have a cavity, you need a filling. Removing and replacing the damaged tooth enamel is the best way to stop the progression of decay, preserve your tooth, and get peace of mind in Mount Pleasant.
Are Dental Fillings
Covered By Insurance?
Dental fillings are a restorative dental care treatment that is widely covered at a high rate by dental insurance, often at 80 to 100% of the cost of treatment. Depending on your insurance, they may only cover specific types of dental fillings, like silver amalgam fillings, but not composite fillings, if they consider them to be cosmetic.
Anything medically necessary to prevent worsening damage or decay to your teeth will be covered by dental insurance. The more preventative benefits the treatment offers and the less invasive it is, the higher the insurance coverage will be.
Contact your insurance provider directly to find out how much of the dental filling procedure they will cover and if you first need to meet a deductible or other requirements.
Are There Alternatives
to Dental Fillings?
A filling is the standard treatment to treat a cavity in the early stage of tooth decay. However, sometimes patients have extensive decay that would require a very large filling. This puts the tooth at risk for damage because there is not a lot of natural tooth structure preserved and it will not be as durable with a large filling.
In cases where a patient has a large cavity, we can recommend that you get a dental crown. This will protect your tooth from damage, hold a broken tooth together, and offer the strength and durability that your tooth was lacking.
You’ll be able to chew your food without worrying about your tooth breaking. A dental crown also has a longer lifespan than a dental filling, which wears down over time and needs to be replaced within just a few years.
What Is
a Cavity?
A cavity, also known as tooth decay, is a damaged portion of your tooth that eventually forms a hole in your enamel. Cavities are caused by acid attacks and enamel erosion. To understand how a cavity forms, you need to know what produces acids in your mouth and why this is a problem for your tooth enamel.
You have bacteria in your mouth at all times and this bacteria feeds off of left behind food particles in the mouth. When you eat something, this bacteria feeds off of sugars and transforms them into acids.
The problem with that is that these produced acids attack your tooth enamel, causing erosion. Over time, with repeated acid attacks and a weakened enamel, a hole is formed in your tooth from tooth decay.
To prevent this, you should limit the amount of sugar you consume in your diet, limit how often you snack throughout the day, stay hydrated, and practice good oral hygiene. A good oral hygiene routine is to brush your teeth twice a day for 2 to 3 minutes with fluoride toothpaste (including your tongue) and floss once a day. It’s also important to get a dental cleaning every 6 months to remove plaque buildup.
Do you have
Questions?
Not sure if you need a filling? Got more questions about the process? Want to schedule an appointment? Advanced Dentistry of Mount Pleasant is here to help. Give us a call at (843) 936-1690 or contact us online to schedule a consultation in Mount Pleasant with Dr. Candice Vinson.
.png)