Fillings or restorations can help us rebuild your teeth and restore your smile. Whether you come in with a chipped tooth, a cavity or to repair a broken tooth, a restoration is a pretty common procedure and is usually painless.
Most of the time, our Keys team can restore your teeth using a tooth coloured composite resin. For larger restorations we prefer to use a porcelain or gold material. Both are strong enough to cover the tooth and prevent any further damage.
Restoration appointments usually take between 20 and 60 minutes, depending on how many restorations we’re doing.
We start with a local anaesthetic, then we isolate the tooth with a sheet of rubber. This keeps the tooth dry and ensures that your airway stays clear. Then we get to work!
We use a bright blue light to set resin restorations. It takes just seconds to dry, and then the tooth is ready. Just watch out for your numb lip!
A little bit of sensitivity can be expected. But it usually resolves itself within 1 to 2 weeks. Your dentist will check your bite but the best measure of how well your restoration fits, is your feedback.
When you are numb it can be hard for you to tell if the tooth feels comfortable. So you will only really know when the anaesthetic wears off. If it feels sensitive to you, it might need adjustment.
Once the local anaesthetic wears off, if it feels like your new filling is touching before other teeth do, let us know so we can adjust it. If left untreated, this can become very sensitive as the nerve in the tooth gets quite angry. Let’s not make angry teeth!
When decay has burrowed deep toward the nerve or if an old filling is removed that was very deep and close to the nerve, it is possible that the nerve in the tooth may be irreversibly damaged.
Your dentist may be able to see if this is likely when reviewing your radiographs. If this is the case, then we will warn you, so we can discuss treatment options before getting started.
From the first tooth to the very last, we’re here to keep you smiling throughout your life.
If it means an easier and more relaxing experience for you then that’s what we do.
While we will work with ANY health fund, we are a platinum provider for BUPA, and preferred providers for Medibank Private, NIB and HCF.
