Dental Fillings in Wilmington

Do you have a question? Contact us now!

Contact Us

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Chat with Dr. Ben Friberg to see if Invisalign is right for you.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Repair Decayed Teeth

Dental Fillings to Strengthen Your Smile

If you’ve got a sensitive or sore tooth or you’ve noticed discoloration or pitting on one of your teeth, you may have a cavity. Immediate treatment in Wilmington is the best way to preserve your tooth and protect it from further decay. Dr. Ben Friberg can restore your tooth with a dental filling, provide you with relief from pain and sensitivity, and preserve your tooth for years to come. Contact our practice today to schedule your Wilmington dental filling appointment.

Dental fillings in Wilmington

Wilmington Dental Filling FAQs

What Are Dental Fillings?

Why Would I Need a Dental Filling?

The Fillings Placement Process

Does It Hurt To Get a Filling?

What Issues Can Dental Fillings Treat?

How Do Fillings Protect My Teeth?

what are dental fillings?

Dental fillings are a treatment used to restore decayed teeth. At our office, Dr. Friberg exclusively uses tooth-colored composite fillings. These consist of a special resin material mixed with crushed glass, and are matched precisely to the color of your tooth, providing a seamless restoration.

To create a filling, the decayed tooth is first cleaned and prepared, then layers of composite resin are applied to the tooth, hardened, and sculpted with special dental tools. This eliminates the decayed enamel, prevents further deterioration, and restores the natural shape and function of your tooth.

Why would I need A Dental Filling?

Dental fillings are the best choice for restoring decayed teeth. If you have minor-to-moderate tooth decay, Dr. Friberg will almost always recommend a filling. In some cases, though, very large cavities may require a dental crown. This is because large fillings tend to wear out quickly and fail prematurely. They are not appropriate for severely decayed teeth.

Unless you get a filling to restore your decayed tooth, your condition will only get worse, even if you take good care of your teeth. Eventually, the tooth may even become infected and require root canal therapy.

Wilmington dental fillings

The fillings Placement Process

It only takes one appointment to place a filling. To begin your appointment, Dr. Friberg will clean your mouth and numb the treatment area. Once your mouth is numb, he will use a dental drill to gently remove any decayed tooth material. 

This exposes fresh enamel, removing the source of the decay and also providing a strong, stable surface that will bond tightly with the filling. Next, Dr. Friberg will choose a resin material based on the color of your tooth.

He will apply the resin to your tooth layer by layer, shaping it and then hardening it with UV light. Once the cavity in your tooth has been completely filled, he will further shape and refine the filling to make sure it looks and feels natural.

As the last step, our Wilmington dentist will use a special type of paper to check the fit of the filling. You will bite down on a strip of paper, then Dr. Friberg will look at it to see if your new filling fits your bite properly. He may make a few final adjustments to trim and refine the filling, if necessary.

That’s it! You’ll be sent home to enjoy your newly-restored tooth. You don’t need to do anything special to care for your new filling. Just brush and floss normally and keep seeing the team at Thrive Family Dental for six-month oral exams and teeth cleanings.

Does it Hurt To Get A Filling?

The best part about getting a dental filling is that the process is painless from start to finish. We will apply a topical numbing cream to your mouth before injecting local anesthesia which leaves your mouth completely numb.

Only after your mouth is numb will we begin working on your tooth. This prevents you from feeling pain sensation when dental tools are cutting into your tooth. However, don’t worry. We understand that some patients still feel nervous or uncomfortable around loud noises or needles.

That’s why we offer methods of relaxation through distraction, open communication, and making changes to your environment to make you feel more comfortable. One thing we can assure you of is that fillings are a very routine treatment that dentists perform all of the time and patients never report experiencing pain or significant discomfort.

A filling can prevent or even relieve tooth pain that is occurring as a result of tooth decay so you may even feel relieved once you get your filling. Some minor tenderness or sensitivity can occur once the anesthetic wears off. This is from residual inflammation that occurred when we were drilling into the tooth earlier. This should not be significantly painful and should subside more each day. However, if it is bothersome, you can take anti-inflammatory pain medication.

What Issues Can Dental Fillings Treat?

Dental fillings are a restorative treatment used to repair the structural integrity of a tooth. A filling can repair a tooth that requires drilling to remove tooth decay or repair damage as a result of dental trauma or accidental injury.

With composite fillings, we’re able to not only rebuild the tooth, but we do so aesthetically and naturally by matching the shade of your filling to your natural teeth. This restores the symmetry of your smile, and the functionality of your tooth, and we are even able to preserve more of your natural tooth compared to amalgam fillings.

How Do Fillings Protect My Teeth?

Fillings effectively treat early-stage tooth decay. When tooth decay is left untreated, it will continue to penetrate through the layers of the tooth. Once it reaches the dentin layer, it spreads even more rapidly, leading to tooth sensitivity and inflammation.

When this decay reaches the inner pulp layer, an infection occurs. At this point, a root canal is necessary urgently to save the tooth from extraction and the spread of the infection. In serious cases, the infection can spread through your bloodstream or your brain.

A filling is a way to prevent all of these complications by responding promptly when we first notice the presence of decay. After removing the decay, the filling replaces the missing structure to increase the strength and durability of the tooth when you chew.

This prevents breakage and makes the tooth more resistant to future enamel erosion and cavities. A filling acts as a protective barrier between your tooth and bacterial plaque. Think you need a filling? Contact us at Thrive Family Dental today to schedule an appointment with Dr. Ben Friberg.