Getting fillings is one of the most common dental procedures that most people get. Your dentist goes through a lot of work to give you a filling as you grip the dental chair tightly with your eyes closed. Dental hygienist Whitney DiFoggio, better known as YouTube’s Teeth Talk Girl, describes the process of how your dentist fills your cavity.
The first step of getting teeth fillings is getting X-rays to see how deep the cavity goes. You are then numbed up and given a saltwater mouth rinse.
Foam wedges may be used in your mouth to help your dentist get better access to your cavity.
Your dentist will drill the decay out. This causes a lot of moisture, especially if the drill sprays water, so a suction tube will be used to keep the saliva and water away. A gel is placed on the tooth to prepare it for the filling.
The filling material is put in place. The material is usually metal amalgam or a composite of glass, quartz, and acrylic resin. If you have the money, then you can splurge for gold or porcelain fillings.
After the material is in place, your bite is checked. Your filling is filed or molded to make your bite comfortable. When the bite is okay, the filling is dried by light curing. It’s normal for new fillings to feel sore for one or two days.
