What is a filling?
A filling is a dental treatment that helps restore a tooth damaged by decay, back to its normal function and shape.
What are the signs and symptoms you may need a filling?
- Sensitivity to hot or cold
- Toothache
- Pressure, sharp or throbbing pain
- Pain when biting or chewing
- Food often getting stuck between certain teeth
- Broken or lost filling
- Chipped or fractured tooth
Which type of filling is best?
There are many different types of filling including gold, porcelain, a composite resin (tooth-colored white fillings), and amalgam.
At Linden Dental Associates, we advise that white fillings are best when the filling to be replaced is small to medium in size. Composite resins, or tooth-colored fillings, provide durability and resistance to fracture in small- to mid-size fillings. They can be used on front or back teeth. White fillings are a good choice for people who prefer a natural-looking filling. If a larger filling is required a porcelain inlay or porcelain onlay may be a better option.
Our team of dental experts will discuss with you the options and what would be best for your filling. We have the experience and expertise to bring together the various advanced dental disciplines required to create fillings that not only look great but function correctly, are healthy and will last for many years to come.
What are the advantages of white fillings?
- Restore original strength of the tooth.
- Restore the natural appearance of the tooth.
- Less sensitive to hot and cold temperatures.
- Mercury-free.
- Require less removal of tooth structure.
What to expect during a filling?
- First, your dentist will remove the decayed tooth material.
- Then the affected area is cleaned.
- To help minimize the pain, your dentist may choose to administer a local anesthetic.
- Next, your dentist will remove decay from the tooth, using a drill or laser.
- Then the dentist will shape the space to prepare it for the filling.
- Finally, after the filling is placed the tooth will be finished and polished.
The cost conversation
A filling is one of the most affordable repairs in dentistry, and catching a cavity early keeps it that way. Price varies with the size of the repair and the tooth involved. Your insurance often covers fillings well, our team checks before your visit, and flexible payment options handle the rest. The truly expensive filling is the one that waits until it becomes a root canal.
What patients ask us
Will the numbing hurt? A tiny pinch, then nothing. Can I eat afterward? Once the numbness fades, yes, and we will tell you exactly when. How long do fillings last? Many years with normal care. Do you still use silver fillings? We place tooth-colored materials that blend with your smile, and we can discuss replacing old metal fillings whenever you are curious.
Fillings, the Linden way
A filling appointment here is quick, gentle, and honest. We show you the cavity on screen before we treat it, because you should never have to take dental work on faith. Then we fix it, match the shade, and send you back to your day. Simple problems deserve simple visits.
Suspect a cavity? Sensitivity to sweets or cold is often the first whisper. Book a visit online or call 908-486-5252, and let us catch it while it is still a small, simple fix.
Small fix now beats big fix later.
Quick fix. Long relief. Easy win.