Your dentist has told you it’s time to get a filling in your teeth. Of course, this is something that fills a lot of people with dread. It’s an extra cost and more work on your teeth. Getting a cavity filling in Seattle doesn’t have to be scary, though.
Sometimes, you just need to understand what’s going on. You can’t see what your dentist is doing, so you’ll want to understand more about what the noises are when your dentist is at work.
It Starts with Numbing the Tooth
A cavity filling in Seattle can cause a lot of pain. If that nerve is still alive, the drilling and the work will lead to a lot of pain throughout the mouth. Your dentist wants to avoid this, which is why all cavity fillings start with numbing the tooth.
This is a local anesthetic. Only the tooth and a few of the surrounding teeth will end up being numbed. You won’t be put to sleep unless the situation is so severe that it requires work on a lot of teeth at the same time.
Removing the Decay and Preparing the Tooth
After this, the dentist will need to get the decay out of your tooth. The cavity doesn’t just create a hole that can be filled straight back up. There will be more of dead tooth to remove from the mouth before the dentist can follow on with the cavity filling in Seattle. Doing the filling without removing the decay will just lead to the tooth getting worse under the filling.
Then the tooth will need to be prepared. This involves a bit of drilling to make sure that the hole is smooth enough to put the filling in. It’s also important to make sure there is enough structural integrity in the tooth to accept the filling.
You won’t feel any pain when this happens. However, you may feel some vibration in your jaw from the drill. This can be the scariest part of the process because of the drill sound.
Filling the Tooth with the Right Material
Now it’s onto the actual cavity filling in Seattle. This process involves tools that will put the material for the filling into the hole that has been created. There are a few options available, but you’ll find that most dentists use a tooth-colored compound that is designed to last for decades. This helps to protect the overall health and limits the need to get your fillings replaced in the future.
After filling the hole, a light is usually used to quickly harden the material. This is just a UV light and won’t cause any permanent damage to your mouth.
You’ll feel some pressure during this process. There isn’t much in the way of noise.
After all this, it’s time to check the bite. The dentist needs to make sure the filling is placed correctly to not impede your eating abilities.
Getting a cavity filling in Seattle doesn’t need to be scary. You just need to understand more about the process to understand the sounds you’re hearing.
