Fillings
Fillings are one of the most basic methods of restoring teeth, usually when they have been damaged by tooth decay.
At Gloucester Dental Care, we offer both tooth-coloured (white) fillings, which are virtually invisible, and the traditional grey amalgam ones. Many people prefer the tooth-coloured (white) ones simply because they look so much better, but these are not always available on the NHS.
We normally numb the tooth and the surrounding area with a local anaesthetic. Once numb, we will drill the decayed material from the tooth, and will then fill the hole with either amalgam (metal) or tooth-coloured material.
We will then shape the filling so it does not interfere with the way you bite and chew. For tooth-coloured fillings, the shaping also helps the tooth to look as realistic as possible.
Information about different filling materials can be found on the British Dental Health Foundation's website.
This page was last updated on 17 of January 2013