Dental Fillings

What is a Dental Filling?

Dental fillings help to restore cavities and bring a tooth back to its normal form, function and shape. Fillings repair tooth structure lost due to decay and prevent the further breakdown of the tooth. 

Dental fillings have a number of benefits for your oral health including:

• Limits damage caused by trauma and dental cavities/decay
• Protects the remaining tooth structure from further damage
• Reestablishes adequate function of the tooth
• Helps prevent nerve damage and/or the need for root canal
• Helps prevent tooth loss
• Lowers the bacterial count in your mouth and helps you maintain fresh breath

Tooth Filling Procedure

Once your dentist has identified a cavity using an x-ray or other visual tools, they may recommend a dental filling to prevent any further damage.

This routine treatment involves the following steps:

• Your dentist will usually administer a local anesthetic (freezing) around the treatment area to alleviate any discomfort or pain
• Using a drill, the dentist will remove any decay and shape the tooth for the filling
• Depending on the type of filling you opt for, the dentist will place a bonding agent and then layer on the resin and harden it using a bright UV light
• Once your filling has been placed, your dentist will polish your tooth and adjust it to make sure it fits the bite

A filling can take anywhere from 10 minutes to over an hour to complete, depending on the extent of the decay. Each filling will take approximately 15 minutes from beginning to completion, depending on how long it takes for your anesthesia to take effect.

Mercury-Free Fillings in Calgary

At Dr. Korol Dental, we only use white resin fillings for direct (in-office) restorations. Amalgam (silver) fillings containing mercury are still commonly used but our dentists are committed to providing the most biocompatible treatments available and we are a mercury-free office.

Some of the incredible benefits of mercury-free fillings include:

• Tooth-coloured and therefore more natural-looking/aesthetically pleasing than amalgam fillings.
• Safer (eliminates potential risks of being exposed to mercury).
• Environmentally-friendly.
• Bonds to the tooth, thus decreasing future risk of fracture or breakage.

We proudly offer mercury-free products while delivering comprehensive dental care to all our Calgary patients.

Our dentists provide a number of dental restorations including fillings, dental crowns, bridges and cosmetic bonding to ensure your smile lasts a lifetime.