Even with an excellent at-home oral hygiene routine and regular dental checkups, cavities can still happen. Fortunately, restorative dental care repairs your natural bite and function. If you are experiencing tooth sensitivity, you may need tooth fillings and wonder, do dental fillings hurt?
At Bay Dental Studio, we offer mercury-free, tooth-coloured composite resin dental fillings for a seamless and healthy smile. Composite resin can also repair a minor chip or fill a small gap and mask other cosmetic dental flaws.
Do Dental Fillings Hurt?
If Dr Yee prescribes dental fillings, he numbs the site using local anaesthesia, so you are comfortable throughout the treatment. A local anaesthetic is administered by injection to the area that needs to be worked on, so only that area loses sensation.
If you suffer from dental anxiety, we also offer dental sedation which involves inhaling safe nitrous oxide gas to put you into a deep relaxation state, but you remain conscious throughout the treatment.
While you might feel a bit of pressure or be aware that the dentist is working in your mouth, you won’t feel any discomfort. Getting a filling doesn’t hurt, but it does eliminate the discomfort that can result from a cavity.
Next, your dentist prepares the tooth by cleaning the cavity and removing decay. Composite resin tooth fillings preserve more of your dental structure than metal dental fillings because the resin adheres to the tooth, so your dentist won’t be drilling away as much of your tooth structure.
Once the tooth is prepped, your dentist chooses a composite resin shade that matches your natural teeth’ colour and places it in layers. Your dentist hardens each layer using a special light before placing another layer. Your tooth is then sculpted, and your bite checked using articulating paper before being polished.
What to Expect after Dental Fillings?
Once the anaesthesia wears off, you may experience some mild sensitivity at the site, especially if your cavity was close to the tooth root. This inflammation dissipates quickly and can be managed with over-the-counter medications and avoiding sugary, hot, or cold foods.
Sometimes a filling may be too high and need to be adjusted to reduce pressure on your bite. This can be challenging to gauge before the anaesthetic wears off, so returning to the dentist for an adjustment is not uncommon.
Other Potential Problems with Tooth Fillings
Dental fillings can eventually degrade, crack, or fall out. This can occur when biting into or chewing hard foods or because of mouth trauma. If this happens, it is important to see your dentist as soon as possible to prevent further infection and damage to the unprotected tooth.
Sometimes space may open up between the dental filling and the tooth, creating an opening for bacteria to breed. Your dentist can identify this at your semi-annual checkup.
Benefits of Composite Resin Fillings
Composite resin tooth fillings offer several benefits over amalgam and other artificial dental restorations.
Preserve your tooth structure
Composite resin dental fillings are placed in layers and require less removal of your natural tooth, preserving its integrity.
They harden within a few minutes
Once a layer of composite resin is placed, a light is used to cure the material. It hardens and cures in less than a minute.
Fewer instances of tooth sensitivity
Composite resin helps insulate the tooth against hot and cold temperatures, so unlike amalgam fillings, you will experience less sensitivity.
They can be repaired
Your dentist can repair the filling if it degrades or is damaged by excessive chewing or grinding.
You can replace your amalgam fillings with composite resin
Your dentist can remove your old metal fillings and replace them with tooth-coloured composite resin for a seamless smile.
How Painful are Tooth Fillings?
Having a tooth filling is less painful than living with a cavity. An untreated cavity can lead to deep decay that spreads to the tooth root, resulting in a root canal or tooth loss.
Getting treatment is essential to prevent the spread of infection and bacteria. If you are still worried about dental fillings discomfort, please contact our practice to arrange an appointment.
Along with a proper at-home oral hygiene regimen, visit us every six months to receive a professional cleaning and a comprehensive dental exam, so we can diagnose decay before it gets deep enough to cause you discomfort.
How Long Do Dental Fillings Last?
Composite resin is a durable material that ensures that your tooth fillings can last for up to seven years. However, to prolong your composite tooth fillings’ life and appearance, it is critical that you have a thorough oral hygiene routine.
Brush twice daily with a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste and floss and use mouthwash once daily. You should also avoid pigmented foods as much as possible as composite tooth fillings are prone to staining and cannot be professionally whitened.
Restore Your Smile at Bay Dental Studio
Do you have painful cavities or have sustained mouth trauma, but have avoided treatment and wondered, do dental fillings hurt? Visit Bay Dental Studio for mercury-free composite resin dental fillings. Our team of experienced dental professionals can help restore your smile and your confidence — call (02) 9327 6856 to book your appointment.