If you have a tooth that feels sensitive or is causing you pain, you may have a cavity. At Pineville Family Dentistry, Dr. Troy Babb is here to help with affordable, convenient, and minimally-invasive dental fillings in Pineville, Kingsville, Camp Beauregard, and the surrounding areas. Learn more below, or contact us now to schedule your consultation at our office.
At Pineville Family Dentistry, Dr. Babb prefers to use composite fillings instead of traditional metal fillings. Composite fillings contain no metal, and are made from a unique blend of crushed glass and dental resin. They look and feel just like a natural part of your tooth, and can even be perfectly matched to the color of your tooth, ensuring your smile looks great after your treatment.
In addition, you typically do not need to have as much natural enamel removed during the preparation process for a composite filling, and the filling material bonds very tightly to the enamel, strengthening your tooth. For these reasons, we prefer composite fillings over amalgam fillings at our office.
Dr. Troy Babb will begin by cleaning your mouth and numbing the treatment site to ensure your comfort. You can also be sedated for your appointment, if you want. Then, he will use a dental drill to remove any damaged or decayed enamel from the tooth. Once this process is complete, the tooth will be cleaned and sanitized.
Then, Dr. Babb will choose a dental resin that matches the color of your tooth perfectly, and place it directly into the cavity. He will use several layers of resin to rebuild the structure of your tooth and replace the missing enamel.
Once the overall shape of the filling is right, he will further trim and refine the shape of the filling using a dental drill, and he will check your bite using contact paper to make sure the filling fits properly. Finally, your newly-restored tooth will be buffed and polished a final time, and you’ll be sent home.
The most common indicator of tooth decay is tooth sensitivity. If one or more of your teeth feel very sensitive to heat, cold, or the pressure of chewing or biting, it may have a cavity. You may also feel sensitivity when consuming very sugary foods or beverages.
In some cases, you may even feel pain and discomfort when you’re not eating or drinking. Toothaches and tooth pain are a sure sign that something is wrong with your tooth, so you should see an experienced dentist in Pineville like Dr. Troy Babb right away.