Dental Fillings
Decay is the most common thing we treat, and caught early it is also the least troublesome.
Quick Treatment
Half an hour a tooth, typically.
Pain Free
Numbed before we begin.
Materials
Composite, amalgam, glass ionomer.
Long Lasting
Years, if you look after them.
Think you need a filling?
Book a check-up and let us catch it while it is still small.
Fillings, and what to expect from one
Decay does not stop on its own. A filling seals the cavity, restores the shape of the tooth and stops the process going any further — which is why we would rather deal with it at a check-up than wait until it wakes you up.
Whether something has started twinging or we spotted a cavity while you were in for something else, here is how it works.
What a filling actually does
The decayed tissue is removed and the space it leaves is filled, sealing the tooth and giving back its shape and strength.
The reason we press on timing is simple arithmetic: a small cavity needs a filling, a large one needs a crown, and one that reaches the nerve needs root canal treatment. Same tooth, three very different appointments.
Signs worth acting on
Plenty of cavities give no warning at all, which is rather the point of check-ups. When they do announce themselves, it tends to be:
- Sensitivity to cold, heat or anything sweet
- A dark mark or a visible hole
- A sharp twinge when you bite down
- Food packing into the same spot every meal
- A chip or crack you can feel with your tongue
Any of those is worth a look, and none of them improves by waiting.
The materials
At Orford Hill Dental Practice we work with a range of filling materials, and we will talk you through which one suits the tooth in question.
Amalgam Fillings
The traditional silver filling, an alloy of several metals. It has been used for over a century and remains the hardest-wearing material we have for back teeth.
- Ten to fifteen years, often more
- Best where the chewing load is heaviest
- The most economical option
Composite Fillings
Tooth-coloured resin with fine glass filler, shade-matched so the filling disappears against the tooth.
- Effectively invisible once polished
- Front teeth as well as back
- Bonds to the tooth, so less needs drilling away
Glass Ionomer Fillings
An acrylic and glass material with one genuinely useful property: it releases fluoride slowly into the tooth around it.
- Releases fluoride for ongoing protection
- A good option for children and baby teeth
- Useful for fillings near the gumline
Your dentist will help you settle on the right type, based on where the cavity sits, how much load the tooth takes and what you would prefer.
What happens
- A look, and an x-ray if we need to see how deep it goes.
- Numbing the tooth, and checking it has taken before starting.
- Clearing the decay away, leaving sound tooth behind.
- Placing and shaping the filling.
- Setting it, checking your bite and polishing it smooth.
Under half an hour a tooth, in most cases. Fillings run from £125 to £300 depending on size, or £112.50 to £270 on the plan.
How long they last
- Amalgam — ten to fifteen years, sometimes considerably longer
- Composite — five to ten, depending where it sits and how you use it
- Glass ionomer — three to five
What actually finishes a filling off is new decay at its edge, so cleaning that margin properly is worth more than the choice of material.