Fillings and Restorations

When decay has eaten away at a tooth, a hole remains.  When the dentist fills this hole produced by decay,  a "filling" is placed.  Today there are two types of fillings, silver (amalgam) fillings and white (composite) fillings.  Dr. Murdoch prefers to place composite fillings.

When you visit your dentist for a filling,  you will be given a local anesthesia to numb the area if necessary.  Dr. Murdoch will remove the decay from the tooth, using a drill or laser.  Throughout the decay removal process,  Dr.Murdoch will test the area with the explorer to determine if all the decay has been removed.  Once all the decay is gone, he will shape the space to prepare it for the filling.

After your tooth is filled, it is not uncommon to feel some sensitivity. The tooth may be sensitive to pressure, air,  sweet foods,  heat or cold.  In most cases, the sensitivity should subside over one to two weeks.  Until then, try to avoid anything that causes sensitivity.   If your tooth is extremely sensitive or your sensitivity does not decrease after two weeks, please contact our office.

Dr. Murdoch has no way of predicting if your tooth will react to a particular material. When you talk to him about the sensitivity, try to describe it as precisely as possible.  This information will help decide what should be done next.