Composite Fillings

Protect and restore your teeth at Truly Dental with our white, tooth-coloured Composite Fillings. 

Used to prevent the progression of decay or to repair your teeth following development of a cavity, one of the most time-tested and familiar general dental procedures meets the forefront in discreet ‘filling’ material available to modern dentistry.

While white, composite resin fillings are not a new invention, it is only in recent years that the technology and the material’s fabrication has advanced to the point that it is now almost as long-lasting and durable as a traditional silver amalgam filling. Due to Composite’s many advantages over silver or metal amalgam in terms of natural appearance, subtlety, effectiveness, and overall quality, today these are the only form of fillings we are proud to place for all of our patients. Your dentist will consult with you and assess your natural smile to expertly choose the shade of composite which flawlessly matches your original tooth, and they will replicate the natural shape, contour, and appearance of your tooth so nobody will ever notice anything is different. 

What issues do Dental Fillings treat?

A dental filling restores the full function, strength, and shape of missing or damaged tooth structure. While cracks or chips to our teeth can occur as a result of accident or trauma, in the vast majority of cases damage to our teeth is caused by everyday wear (or misuse such as a nail-biting or tooth grinding habit) or dental decay. This is caused by the sticky film of bacteria (known as plaque) which naturally forms over our teeth, feeding on the sugars present in the foods we eat which causes them to produce acid. This build-up of plaque and the constant eating away at the tooth’s enamel is the process known as tooth decay. 

If left unchecked, decay can fester and eat away until a hole (or cavity) is formed in your tooth. Tooth decay is not a painful process, and so many patients will not even be aware that they may require a filling, unless there is an obvious change to the shape of their tooth caused by a deep cavity, or a piece of the tooth chips off. Indeed, a key importance of maintaining a regular, 6-monthly Dental Check-Up routine is so that your dentist can monitor for signs of decay, as by the time you are experiencing pain from decay or a cavity, it has already penetrated deep into the tooth, and has or is about to reach the nerve. Once the inner pulp of your tooth is infected by decay, more extensive intervention and treatment is required to attempt to save the tooth, and even with expert dental care the damage may be too far gone, and the tooth may be lost.

Dental fillings are a simple but powerful routine treatment to stop tooth decay in its tracks. Following a thorough removal of all current decay from your tooth, your dentist will then seal the cavity left in your infected tooth with a white, Composite dental filling, restoring its original shape, integrity, and durability. Once caught in time, a well-cared for filling can safeguard your tooth from any further complications, allowing you to retain your natural tooth and full functionality and appearance for many years to come. If your dentist recommends a filling, don’t delay; a small cavity can rapidly become a big problem. Avoid pain, lengthy dental procedures, and costly, invasive treatments and get on top of your oral health today!

Benefits of Composite Fillings

• No fuss solution to fix cavities, tooth cracks or chips, and fractures 
• Highly aesthetic solution to correct dental decay, which often requires less natural tooth structure to be removed than with metal fillings
• The colour-matched material means you can smile with confidence, knowing the restored tooth blends flawlessly into the natural shape and shade of your teeth
• Repair the tooth’s regular, natural structure to ensure less trapping of food and build-up of plaque, which on top of reducing your risk of tooth or gum disease, will leave you with overall fresher, healthier breath 
• Strong and durable material – with modern, high-tech advances in dental materials and technique, we are happy to guarantee the life of your new composite filling for an average of 10 years
• Increase the lifespan of your natural tooth by halting the spread of decay before the future longevity of your tooth is risk
• Metal free – more traditional silver amalgam fillings are associated with an unwelcome greyish colouration of your natural tooth over time
• Reduce risk of the need for more complex, time consuming, and expensive dental treatment further down the line

What to Expect When Getting a Filling

Initial consultation

Your dentist will carry out a comprehensive dental exam to assess your teeth, gums, and bone levels. If there is evidence of tooth decay found, they will also take dental X-rays to help diagnose and determine the extent of the decay. 

If the damage is not found to penetrate too deeply into the inner root of your tooth, and the nerve has not been affected, your dentist will be able to discuss your suitability for routine, effective treatment with a Composite filling, and address any questions or concerns you have at this stage, while providing you with a full treatment plan, including a complete breakdown of the costs. 

You will be scheduled in for your return appointment to have your filling placed before you leave the clinic on the day of your consultation, and depending on the size, depth, and number of cavities or damage involved. Subject to dentist availability, it may be possible to begin or complete your treatment on the same day. Following your procedure to restore your tooth with a filling, you will be given detailed instructions of how to care for your tooth and maintain your filling-repaired tooth for many years into the future, including the adoption of a regular Dental Check-Up visit. 

The filling 

Your dentist will use a highly effective local anaesthetic to ensure your mouth is completely numb before beginning any treatment, so the procedure will be entirely pain free. You will only experience a sensation of pressure and some pushing for the duration of your treatment visit. 

The shade of composite will then be expertly chosen to match exactly with your natural tooth, so it will blend in seamlessly.

Once satisfied that your mouth is numb and you are comfortable, your dentist will begin by using a small dental drill to clean the inside of your tooth and remove all areas damaged by decay. 

Once fully free of decay, your tooth is then prepared with a mild acid and dental cement which acts to bond the composite securely in place. The Composite material will then be placed gradually in stages, with each layer hardened at different intervals using a blue light. 

The final surface of your new Composite filling is then polished to shape it to the unique contours of your original tooth and to match the surrounding teeth, as well as ensure it will feel nice and smooth to your tongue. Finally, your dentist will test out your overall bite with your filling in place, and once happy that your bite is even you are free to go!

Aftercare instructions