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Considerate. Compassionate. Confident.
These are just a few words that accurately describe our amazing team. We are experts at building relationships and helping you feel at ease during your visit, whether it be for a consultation or treatment.
We pride ourselves on providing an atmosphere that allows patients to sit back, relax, and feel confident that they are in good hands.
Tooth Fillings in Charlotte, NC
Dental fillings are one of the most common dental procedures, and yet they are too often performed without the attention to detail they deserve. Did you know that a poorly done filling can increase your risk of getting another cavity on that tooth and can cause the tooth to become extremely sensitive to hot or cold foods/drinks? Well-done cavity treatment goes a long way for your dental health and comfort. Before scheduling your next appointment with the trusted team at Dentistry On Monroe, here’s what you should know about having a cavity filled.
What Are Tooth Fillings?
Tooth fillings are dental restorations that are used to treat tooth decay. They’re used to prevent the spread of infection, restore the normal function of your tooth, and improve your oral health.
Cavities develop in response to acid that collects in your mouth either from certain foods, such as carbonated drinks or citrus foods/drinks, or by bacteria fermenting sugars left on your teeth after eating. It’s important to note that sugar doesn’t just come from candy. In fact, most foods have some form of sugar in them, and can feed bacteria if not cleaned off of the teeth regularly. When this acid collects around and between the teeth, it burns through them, making a cavity.
Cavities that are shallow and haven’t broken through the enamel can be slowed or even stopped by improving oral hygiene habits or diet. When a dentist can see on an X-ray that the cavity has penetrated beyond the enamel layer, the decay must be removed and the area filled with tooth-colored material.
While dental fillings effectively treat most cavities, they can’t fix them all. Some cavities are too big and deep to be treated with a filling. Because cavities often develop with no signs or pain until they have gone so deep into the tooth that they kill the nerve and create an infection, X-rays must be taken to ensure that a tooth is cavity-free.
Cavity Treatment Process
Here’s what you can expect during your cavity filling appointment with Dr. Turner:
- Dr. Turner will numb the area around your infected tooth completely
- He will remove the decay from inside of your tooth
- After the decay has been removed from the tooth, he will fill it with a tooth-colored material
The standard procedure of numbing a tooth and doing a filling doesn’t interfere with your ability to drive home or return to work afterward. The numbness may linger for a few hours, so we recommend waiting to eat until the feeling is regained, but that is usually the only precaution.
Is Getting a Cavity Painful?
Before your dental filling procedure begins, Dr. Turner will ensure that your tooth is extremely numb so that you won’t feel anything while he’s working. Having a filling done should be a comfortable, painless experience.
How Long Does Getting a Cavity Filled Take?
The length of your cavity filling appointment depends on the size and location of the cavity. If you’re curious about a filling, call our office to schedule an exam with Dr. Turner so that we can determine how long it will take.
Dental Filling Cost
Many dental insurance plans provide some level of coverage to help reduce the cost of dental fillings. To learn more about what your dental insurance plan includes, please contact our office.
Dental Fillings in Charlotte, NC
At Dentistry On Monroe, we put the same time and effort into our fillings as we do our most complicated and technically demanding procedures. We use materials that have been chosen specifically because of their performance, not their convenience or price. We only use tooth-colored filling materials and ensure that the fillings we do won’t cause everyday annoyances or endanger the tooth’s health.
To make cavity treatment more comfortable, we use various techniques to ensure the teeth are completely numb before starting, including Dr. Turner’s 3D printed injection guides to make getting numb faster and easier. Finally, we offer various forms of streaming entertainment, so you can enjoy your favorite shows or movies while we treat your cavity. Contact us today to schedule your next appointment with Dr. Turner and our friendly team!
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Don’t wait until a dental problem progresses before getting professionally diagnosed and treated. Our dental team can provide the latest in treatment while improving your understanding of and trust in dental treatment options.