Dental Fillings
What are Dental Fillings?
A dental filling is a restoration that will replace an area of decay within one or more of your child’s teeth. Children are typically more susceptible to cavities because of poor dietary habits as well as poor oral hygiene habits. Before the decay can get worse, it will be removed and a tooth-colored filling put into its place. This helps to restore the tooth both functionally as well as aesthetically.
Why might Dental Fillings be needed?
Your child may need a filling because they have a cavity. Cavities are small areas of decay in a tooth. If the decay is left untreated, it will eventually get worse and affect the inner pulp, or nerve, of the tooth. Before it can get to this point, the decay is removed and a filling placed.
Who is a candidate for Dental Fillings?
To determine if your child needs a dental filling, we can perform an examination and look for cavities. If your child has one or more cavities, it is important that they be filled as soon as possible. Older fillings can be replaced easily in our office as well. The filling process is beneficial for children of all ages who have one or more areas of decay.
What happens during the Dental Filling procedure?
The filling procedure first involves numbing the area with a local anesthetic. We will then remove the decay from your child’s tooth. The hole that is left behind is prepped for the tooth-colored filling. The filling material is then placed and cured with a special light. Multiple fillings can be placed at the same time, if they are within the same vicinity within the mouth. This prevents your child’s entire mouth from being numb at the same time during treatment. Fillings can last for many years and should be replaced as soon as they show signs of wear or any type of damage.
If you think your child might need a filling, call our office today to speak with one of our trained and expert professional team members.