RESTORATIONS

So you have a cavity or broke a tooth and will need to see a dentist for a restoration (filling). Knowing the basic restoration procedure can greatly reduce dental anxiety. Here is what to expect at your restorative dental appointment.

First, your dentist will likely take an xray of the area if not taken previously. This enables the dentist to see how deep the decay is and if its broken if there is decay under area that was broken. Next a topical anaesthetic is applied to the tissue where the dental freezing will be placed. This helps ease the discomfort of the needle going into the tissue. Once you are frozen then a dental drill is used (see picture below) to clear out the cavity or clean up area where tooth was broken. Then either and amalgam (silver filling) or a composite resin (white filling) is placed. The latter is most commonly used in today’s practice. Both will need to be adjusted via drill to ensure your teeth come together comfortably. Using articulating paper, your bite is checked and if there is spots on your tooth then the dentist will slightly shave those spots down. Upon leaving you will be instructed not to chew on that area until the dental freezing has completely worn off to avoid biting your cheek and/or tongue.

It is really not the end of the world if you have a cavity or have broken a tooth. The restorative appointment is relatively straight forward and simple. The best advice I can give you is try to avoid getting a cavity by eating healthy foods and limiting your sugar intake. Now teeth do break at times but avoiding extremely hard foods or sticky foods can reduce that from occurring. Happy eating!