How Long Does It Take To Fill A Cavity?

One of the most common dental procedures is getting dental fillings. It is primarily a job to fix the permanent damage created by tooth decay. The procedure is typically painless and requires about an hour to complete.

Cavities are the most chronic condition affecting people, including children. The WHO states untreated cavities are shared globally, affecting 3.3 million people with permanent teeth.

Dental fillings help prevent further decay by restoring your tooth’s functionality. If you want to educate yourself about what to expect when receiving dental fillings and the materials used to restore teeth, besides the time required for the fillings to set and heal, please continue reading this article.

What Does a filling appear like?

Dental fillings appear on your teeth like restorations. If you have cavities on a molar, your dentist likely recommends silver amalgam or gold fillings. Your molars are the back teeth where biting pressures are high. The filling material recommended by the dentist is durable and lasts for over a decade. However, they are not aesthetically pleasing and make themselves visible when you open your mouth wide before anyone.

If you need dental fillings on a front tooth, the dentist recommends white tooth-colored fillings shaded to match the neighboring teeth and appear aesthetic in your mouth. Therefore most filling materials are aesthetically pleasing except for silver amalgam and gold, making them suitable for the molars.

How are cavities filled between the teeth?

Cavities between your teeth also require dental fillings, whether molars or other teeth are called interproximal cavities developing from the wearing down of the enamel on one or more teeth. Depending on their location, they also need tooth-colored or silver amalgam fillings. The dentist removes the decay before filling the tooth with the filler chosen, as discussed during your dental exam.

How long does it take to fill a cavity — filling insights

Generally, it requires an hour or less to get a tooth cavity filling. However, your appointment might last longer if you have larger holes in the tooth or need multiple fillings. In addition, the filler chosen to restore your teeth can take longer or require a second appointment for tooth restoration.

The filling insights below provide adequate information on how much time you might need to get dental fillings from the dentist near you.

• If you have chosen composite resin fillings for your cavity, the filler is layered on your tooth and allowed to harden. Therefore it requires more time, but the dentist completes the treatment in one visit.

• Some composite resin fillings are made from impressions taken of your tooth in a dental laboratory. In such cases, you might require a second visit to the dentist to cement the filling.

• Alternatively called inlays and Onlays, Gold or porcelain fillings also require two dentist visits. These indirect fillings are fabricated in a dental laboratory after the dentist removes decay from the tooth and makes its impressions. The dental lab creates the filling material from the impression, and you can have the filling bonded to your tooth during your next visit.

If you must replace an existing filling, it requires the same time as getting a new filling. Unfortunately, you might need more time if the old filler must be drilled out. Your dentist will clean the cavity and the old filling before inserting new fillers.

What to Expect When Getting Dental Fillings?

Filling procedures are generally straightforward. You receive local anesthesia near the affected tooth to numb the area to prevent pain. Fillings on the surface do not require anesthesia.

After numbing the area, your dentist will likely use a dental drill through the enamel to remove decay. After that, the dentist sterilizes the area and prepares it for filling. Composite fillings are hardened with ultraviolet light, and the dentist polishes the tooth and checks to ensure your bite is not affected.

After the anesthesia has worn off, you might experience sensitivity in the tooth receiving the filling. You should avoid extremely hot or icy foods and beverages for a couple of days after getting your tooth restored. You can continue eating as you usually do.

Amalgam fillings require about an hour to set and gain full strength in 24 hours. Composite fillings are cured by light and need about 20 seconds per layer to set. If you are concerned about the length of the filling procedure, discuss your problem with the dentist in Lapeer, MI, to receive the best filling material for your tooth.

Lapeer City Dental provides different dental fillers to restore teeth damaged by cavities. If you need tooth restorations, please schedule an appointment with this practice today to complete the process fearlessly.