What is a filling?

What Is a Filling?

A filling repairs a tooth that has a cavity. The dentist removes the decayed part of the tooth, cleans the space, and fills it with a restorative material so the tooth can handle chewing again. At Kaufman Dentistry we place tooth colored fillings, which bond to the tooth and blend in with its natural shade. Below, our own photos walk through one real case, step by step.

A step by step process for restoring a tooth with a filling

When we are doing work on patients at Kaufman Dentistry, we often like to snap a few pictures during the procedure so that our patients can appreciate what is actually going on in their mouths. We have decided to incorporate a few cases onto the website so that everyone can start to understand what we are doing during different dental procedures.

The first procedure we are going to display is the basic Class 1, or chewing surface tooth colored filling. This photo is the first one we took. It shows the basic outline form of the preparation. You can appreciate the dark brown decay in the tooth which was the reason we decided that work needed to be done on this tooth in the first place.

S11 With a slow speed drill and hand instruments, decay is removed. Notice that there is still some brown stain left behind. Decay is measured by hardness of the tooth structure not color. This tooth is cleaned out and ready to restore.

Once the tooth is ready to restore, it has to be prepared to accept and bond to the filling material. The blue paste you see below is an acid which microscopically etches the tooth, creating tiny little potholes which help retain the restoration. This step is followed by the application of an adhesive which will connect the filling to the etched surface of the tooth.

The final photo is of the completed restoration. The basic shape of the tooth is retained while providing a long lasting functional restoration on this tooth.

To understand the causes of decay, please see our article HERE

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a filling?

A filling is a restoration that replaces the part of a tooth lost to decay. The decayed tissue is removed and the space is filled, which restores the tooth’s shape and lets it work normally again. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research explains in its guide to tooth decay that dentists commonly treat cavities this way.

Does getting a filling hurt?

Fillings are usually done with a local anesthetic, so most people feel pressure and vibration rather than pain. The numbness wears off a few hours later.

Can a cavity be fixed without a filling?

Only very early decay, before a hole forms, can sometimes be reversed with fluoride. Once a cavity has formed, the tooth needs a filling or another restoration to stop it from growing.

How long do fillings last?

Fillings can last many years, but they can wear, chip or develop new decay around their edges. That is why we check them at every regular exam.