Fillings & root canal treatment
Toothache, sore gums or bad breath? This could mean that you have a cavity. Having a cavity (also known as tooth decay) is one of the most common dental health problems, however unlike other parts of our bodies – teeth don't heal themselves. Fixing it early is key to avoid more treatment!
Your tooth is made up of a crown and either single or multiple roots. The crown sits above your gum line and the roots sit below. Your tooth has hard and soft tissue - the hard tissues being enamel, dentin and cementum and the soft tissue in the centre of the tooth is the pulp.
Enamel is the hardest tissue and is the strong outer layer of your tooth. Once decay has made its way through the tough outer layer of enamel and reaches the softer inner layer called dentin, decay progresses much quicker and often causes significant pain.
What to expect
Fillings are usually needed when you have decay, worn, broken or chipped teeth. Having your tooth filled can prevent further damage or decay, as well as making it easier to use your teeth, reduce pain and make your teeth look better.
- We use composite fillings, which are natural-looking and come in various colors to match your tooth. Composite is set in the clinic and allows you to eat immediately. Fillings are usually done in just one visit.
- Amalgam (silver coloured) fillings are used from time to time, they are strong but not used as often as more modern materials like composite provide a much more pleasing and natural look.
- In some cases we use porcelain or gold fillings (or inlays/onlays). These are made by a lab and take two visits to complete.
Root canal treatment is a dental procedure that helps alleviate pain caused by an infected tooth and help to save a damaged tooth. If you have severe pain or a swelling, and experience discomfort when eating and drinking, this may be an indication that decay has started to impact the nerve.
- Once the decay reaches the pulp of your tooth, a root canal filling will be recommended to save your tooth.
- The pulp has lots of nerves which is why these types of cavities are so painful.
- We carefully remove the inflamed pulp, thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting the inner surfaces of the tooth.
- Then we seal the space with a filling for healing and comfort.
- In some cases, your dentist may suggest a crown to be placed over the tooth to protect the tooth from breakage.
Modern dentistry shouldn't be painful. Our dentists will use a local anaesthetic to numb your mouth before removing the inflamed or infected pulp and using a special material to fill the root canals and pulp chamber. A tooth coloured filling is then placed on top.
How we help
Depending on the damage to your teeth, your dentist will decide what kind of filling is needed. All filling types will vary in cost. Your dentist will discuss the prices with you and help you make the right decision for your treatment plan.
