Dential Fillings at Your Gold Coast Dentist
Your Gold Coast Dentist is located at Gold Coast Plaza, Shop 10/300 Olsen Avenue in Parkwood. If you or a member of your family require a tooth filling, please contact us for an appointment and our team will provide the best possible treatment.
If you or a family member is in pain, please let our receptionist know and we will find an appointment slot to take care of you as quickly as possible.
What is a dental filling?
One of the most common procedures performed in the dental clinic is tooth fillings. Our dentist will recommend a filling if there is decay in your tooth.
The decay is removed and the hole is filled in with special material to replace the missing tooth structure so you can chew on the tooth again like normal.
Decay can also form under old fillings if there is gap between the filling and the tooth allowing bacteria to enter under the filling and hence cause decay.
You might be wondering why a dental filling is required when you haven’t had any pain from the tooth. In its early stages, decay is often not painful as it is far from the nerve of the tooth. However, if decay is left until it is painful, the outcome of the treatment is less favourable and can also be more expensive, sometimes requiring a root canal or tooth removal instead of a filling.
Early decay and decay under fillings can sometimes be difficult to see in the mouth and is most often detected on xrays. Hence, we recommend regular check-ups with xrays to find decay and fix it while it is small.
Are there different types of fillings?
There are 2 main types of dental fillings, silver and white fillings. Here at Your Gold Coast Dentist, we use white fillings. Nonetheless, existing silver fillings in your mouth are not harmful and would only need to be replaced if there is a problem such as decay or the filling is broken.
The white fillings are resin based and are ‘glued’ to your tooth with a special dental adhesive and set with a blue light. In some cases, if the damage to the tooth due to the decay is too severe, our dentist may recommend a dental crown as a stronger option to protect the tooth.
What should I expect at my appointment? Does it hurt?
Our dentist will give you a local anaesthetic which will help to numb the tooth so you will not feel anything at all during the procedure. Once the anaesthetic wears off, you will be able to eat and use the tooth like normal. For teeth with larger, deeper fillings, it is normal to experience some sensitivity around the tooth and gum area for the first 24-48hrs after the filling is completed.
So what causes tooth decay and is there anything I can do to prevent it?
Tooth decay is caused by a combination of bacteria in your mouth and intake of sugary food and drinks. More frequent intake of sugary foods and drinks such as sugar in tea/coffee, soft drinks, chocolate and biscuits increases your risk of decay. We recommend reducing the frequency of intake of these sugary foods and rinsing with water regularly. We also recommend cutting down on sugary drinks and switching to water instead. Twice daily brushing will also help to reduce the amount of sugar and bacteria in your mouth.
Fluoride is also vital to strengthen your teeth and prevent them from getting decay. Here on the Gold Coast, there is fluoride in our water which is the best protection for your teeth. Other sources of fluoride are in toothpaste and professional fluoride application. At your regular check-up and cleans, our dentist will apply a highly concentrated fluoride gel to your teeth to further protect them from decay and give you a personalised preventative treatment plan.
Prevention is always better than cure. Call us on (07) 5594 6699 to book an appointment for your check up and clean or book online at yourgoldcoastdentist.com.au/booking. If you are with a private health fund, there are no out of pocket costs for your regular check up and cleans, including xrays, otherwise, it is $189.
Your child might be eligible for Child Dental Benefit Schedule (CDBS) if they are between 2-17 years old, where your child receives $1,013 every 2 years for dental treatment. Not sure if your child is eligible? Call us (07) 5594 6699 for more information.
