Fillings

A filling repairs a tooth after decay, or a chip or crack, has damaged it, rebuilding its shape and stopping further decay. It suits anyone with a cavity found at a check-up, or a tooth damaged by an injury. Dr Annabel Davies provides fillings at BRS Dental on Strand Street, in Cape Town City Centre.

When you might need one

A filling is usually needed once decay has broken through the hard outer layer of a tooth, which a dentist can often see or detect at a routine check-up, sometimes before it causes any pain. A filling can also repair a tooth that has chipped or cracked. Left untreated, decay can grow deeper and eventually reach the nerve of the tooth, which can need root canal treatment instead.

What happens at the appointment

The dentist numbs the tooth and surrounding area with a local anaesthetic, then removes the decayed or damaged part of the tooth and cleans the cavity. The space is then filled with a restorative material, shaped to match the tooth’s natural form and bite. Two materials are most commonly used. A composite, or tooth-coloured, filling is made from a resin matched to the tooth’s shade, and suits a front or back tooth. An amalgam, or silver-coloured, filling is a metal mixture that is particularly hard-wearing in a large cavity or a back tooth that does a lot of chewing work. The dentist recommends the material most suitable for a particular tooth.

How long it takes

A straightforward filling is usually completed within a single appointment. A larger filling, or one covering more than one surface of the tooth, can take longer in the chair.

Aftercare

The anaesthetic can leave the mouth feeling numb for a few hours afterward, so it is sensible to wait until feeling returns before eating or drinking anything hot. A tooth can feel sensitive to hot, cold or pressure for a short time after a filling, which usually settles on its own. Brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, and attending regular check-ups, helps a filling last and lets the dentist see how it is holding up over time.

Getting in touch

Fees for a filling are discussed with reception. The panel on this page shows how to get in touch to book an appointment. Anyone in pain now can also see the dental emergency guidance on this site.