What is dental fillings?
A filling treats a cavity by removing the decayed part of the tooth and rebuilding it with composite resin — a tooth-coloured material bonded directly to what remains of the tooth. It is usually completed in a single visit, under local anaesthesia if the cavity is deep.
Who is it for?
A cavity has been identified at a check-up or on an X-ray.
You have new sensitivity to hot, cold or sweet foods.
An old filling has chipped, cracked or come loose.
You have noticed a visible hole or dark spot on a tooth.
Concerns patients bring to us
- Sharp sensitivity to cold drinks or ice cream.
- A rough edge you can feel with your tongue.
- Food consistently getting stuck in the same spot.
- An old, discoloured metal filling you would rather replace.
Benefits
Removes the decayed tissue before it reaches the nerve.
Composite resin is shaded to blend with the tooth around it.
Prepared, filled and polished in one visit for most cavities.
Only the decayed part is removed — the rest of the tooth stays intact.
The treatment process
Local anaesthesia if the cavity is close to the nerve.
The decayed tissue is cleaned out and the tooth prepared.
Composite resin is built up in thin layers, each hardened with a curing light.
The filling is shaped to your bite and polished smooth.
Technology & approach
Each layer of composite is set with a curing light rather than left to harden on its own, which keeps the bond strong and the shade consistent from the surface to the base of the filling.