Fillings / Extractions
Dental Fillings
Dental fillings are used to restore missing tooth structure by filling the cavity (hole). Cavities are usually the result of tooth decay, however, other causes include cracked / broken teeth, teeth that have been damaged by nail biting, tooth grinding or trauma. A dental filling procedure involves removing the decayed portion of your tooth and then filling the area with the most suitable filling material.
White Fillings
White fillings (Composites) are becoming more popular than the alternative unsightly metal restorations. Modern day white fillings are as strong and as durable as mercury which makes them ideal for anterior (front teeth) restorations as well as molar (back teeth) restorations as they can withstand the pressures of mastication. If you have decay and need a filling, we recommend white fillings as a good solution that is both aesthetic and functional. Likewise, existing metal-coloured fillings can be replaced with white fillings to improve the cosmetic look of your smile. Other advantages of white fillings include:
Aesthetically pleasing - looks and feels like natural teeth.
Conservative treatment - composite material bonds directly to the tooth tissue (unlike mercury material) which makes it less prone to leakage and requires minimal preparation.
Unlike Composite materials, Mercury fillings expand once set causing internal pressure to the tooth.
Tooth Extractions
At Belmont Dental Care, we encourage preserving as much of the healthy tooth tissue as possible and believe tooth extraction should be avoided where possible. However, it is sometimes necessary to have a tooth / teeth extracted for the following reasons:
A tooth ache is so severe and it does not have a good long term prognosis
A tooth is severely broken down and un-restorable
A root canal treatment has failed and a re-root treatment is not an option
A tooth has a negative impact on surrounding teeth, i.e. impacted wisdom tooth
Tooth extractions are pain free as they are carried out under a local anaesthetic so all you should feel is painless pressure around the area. Our dental surgeons use gentle extraction techniques using peritomes and luxators to ease out the tooth and root, ensuring as much bone as possible is preserved. Bone preservation is important since it prevents pain and swelling following treatment, aids dental implant treatment should you wish to replace the gap with this option, and it also helps aesthetically by avoiding the sunken look associated with bone loss.
After the extraction, postoperative instructions will be provided and discussed with you by your dentist. It is normal to experience some mild swelling, tenderness or soreness in the area after an extraction which subsides within a couple of days. You can ease these symptoms by taking regular painkillers which you would usually take for a headache and use salt water rinses to prevent infection. Should these symptoms persist, worsen or swelling develops, you should contact the practice immediately and we will arrange follow up care.