Repair Your Tooth and Restore Oral Health with Composite Fillings
A cavity can quickly become painful and cause tooth loss if not addressed. Dental fillings in Flinders, Victoria, are a simple solution for restoring your tooth’s function and appearance. Flinders Dental Practice uses safe, durable, tooth-colored dental fillings to repair damage and keep your tooth strong. Visit Dr. Chris Wooldridge today and rediscover your healthy smile with tooth-colored fillings.
How is a dental filling placed?
Placing a dental filling is done under local anesthesia to ensure you don’t experience any discomfort. Next, the dentist carefully removes your tooth’s decayed/damaged areas and thoroughly cleans the space to eliminate all infections.
The dentist will carefully fill your tooth with composite resin. Then, the filling will be skillfully sculpted to match the contours of your tooth. Next, the dentist hardens the filling with a special light to create a durable restoration. Finally, the doctor makes a few adjustments to the filling to ensure your bite feels natural. That’s it! Your tooth looks natural, and you can chew without pain or sensitivity.
Although you may experience sensitivity after the procedure, it’s mild and subsides within a few days. Contact your dentist if you experience persistent pain or sensitivity.
How do I maintain my filling?
Composite fillings are durable and usually last 8-plus years with good care. Observe the following tips to ensure your filling keeps looking and feeling its best.
- Good oral hygiene: Brush and floss your teeth diligently to prevent infections and decay.
- Watch out for your diet: Although you can eat all your favorite foods with dental fillings, limit the intake of hard and chewy foods. Also, avoid coffee, red wine, tea, and other staining foods and drinks.
- Routine dental visits: Visit your dentist every six months for regular cleanings and check-ups.
- Quit tobacco products: Quit tobacco use of any form to protect your fillings and overall oral health.
- Manage bruxism: Invest in a custom nightguard if you grind and clench your teeth daily. Untreated bruxism can damage or dislodge your fillings.
What are the benefits of composite fillings?
Many patients are surprised when they can’t tell which tooth was filled. Our patients tell us they forget about their fillings after a few days of treatment.
Here are the reasons why we prefer tooth-colored fillings.
- Safety: Composite fillings are created from finely grounded glass and acrylic plastic. These materials are biocompatible and safe.
- Aesthetics: Our dental fillings perfectly match your natural teeth for a seamless appearance. The realistic appearance of composites makes them ideal even for teeth visible when smiling.
- Conservative: Restoring your smile with metal amalgams requires removing a significant portion of the tooth for maximum adhesion. In contrast, composite fillings require minimal removal, preserving more of your natural tooth.
- Durability: Composite fillings can last 5-8 years or more with good maintenance.
- Temperature resistance: Composite fillings don’t react to temperature changes like metal fillings. Temperature resistance makes composite fillings less prone to fractures or instability over time.
- Secure restoration: A composite filling bonds directly with the tooth, creating an airtight seal that reduces the risk of future infections.
Is it time to restore your smile with composite fillings?
A minor cavity or damage ignored today can create significant problems tomorrow. The team at Flinders Dental Practice offers affordable, tooth-colored fillings in Flinders, Victoria. Call (03) 5989-1129 and schedule your visits today! Let’s take care of your smile while the problems are still minor.
