Have you ever suffered from a painful cavity that caused great discomfort when you performed daily tasks like eating or drinking temperate dishes? If so, you have probably received a temporary filling. If not, you are one of the lucky individuals who hasn’t yet received a cavity or oral damage yet. A temporary filling is necessary to prevent further damage to the tooth, as well as allow you to live comfortably and perform your normal, daily tasks. Without it, certain actions would be painful, and you’d be living in discomfort. For more information about what a temporary filling is and the process of receiving one, keep reading below.
What is a Temporary Filling?
A temporary filling is typically used in repairing tooth decay or damaged teeth, as well as through preventing further decay from cavities. Normally, a tooth-colored dental filling material is used. These forms can vary from gold, to amalgam fillings. Amalgam fillings include a variety of metals, such as silver, lead, tin, zinc, indium, copper, mercury or palladium. Other filling options include porcelain and plastic. The type of temporary filling you receive solely depends on how severe the case of your problem at hand is. Temporary fillings can last from up to six to eight weeks, depending on the extent of the damage. Recovery time can also vary depending on what your dentist deems as a necessary amount of time for the tooth to continue being repaired.
Why You May Need a Temporary Filling
Dentists usually use a temporary filling on a patient with a cracked or broken tooth that they have been working on, or when they have extensive work to do on a cavity in the patient’s mouth that cannot be completed in just one visit. Dentists may also use the temporary filling method on patients when they need a second visit for their teeth or a specific area surrounding a tooth. In any case, the filling would hold the tooth or teeth in place and cover the repaired area to keep it dry from saliva. The area will then remain clean from bacteria for the revisit, whenever scheduled.
Temporary Filling Procedure
During the temporary filling procedure, the dentist will first need to take an X-ray of your teeth to examine the area before starting. After analyzing the film, the dentist will be able to start. To begin the procedure, the dentist will first inject a local anesthetic around the area receiving the filling to numb the area. This ensures you, the patient, will not feel anything during the procedure. The dentist will then use cotton to isolate the tooth, and using small dental instruments like a drill, they will remove the decaying bits and pieces of destroyed enamel that cannot be saved from the tooth. The dentist will use a dental filling to temporarily seal the tooth area, keeping it dry from saliva and clean from bacteria or food. This way, the dentist can return to the area and finish the repair job when the tooth is less sensitive and ready to be worked on again.
Visit Teach Dental Group Today!
The best way to avoid needing a temporary filling is by practicing normal oral hygiene and visiting the dentist every six months for a check-up appointment. As long as you avoid harming your teeth, you will most likely be able to avoid ever needing a temporary filling. If you do need to get one, though, be sure that after receiving it you continue to brush and floss, especially around the area that was worked on. This will ensure you will not need to revisit the dentist for another six months, as the area will be clean and germ-free. Visiting the dentist is an important part of life and should be done to prevent the need for receiving any temporary fillings.
If you or a loved one has oral pain and needs a tooth filling, contact Teach Dental Group today to arrange a check-up and let our family take care of yours.
