What are fillings?
Fillings do exactly what their name says; they fill in a hole in your tooth with safe dental material. The hole in your tooth is what is known as a cavity and is caused by plaque and bacteria. If you don’t brush your teeth and the plaque and bacteria build up, your tooth can start to decay, resulting in a hole or cavity.
Why would I need a filling?
Fillings help stop decay from spreading by filling in the hole in your tooth. This enables you to retain your tooth, rather than needing to have it extracted.
What types of filling materials are there?
At Century Dental Clinic, we usually provide two types of fillings:
- Tooth-coloured:These are becoming more popular as they blend with the existing tooth, are more discreet and look more natural. Tooth-coloured fillings are also bonded to front teeth to improve their appearance if they are worn or broken.
- Silver-coloured:Occasionally metal fillings may be better suited, especially in larger cavities on back teeth.