Dental fillings are one of the most common procedures. They are performed daily in most dental offices. Because the procedure is so common, chances are you will have one at some point in your life. Given this, you have likely wondered how long it takes to get a dental filling. In this article, we discuss the procedure in detail and give you an average time estimate for dental fillings.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Dental Filling?
In most cases, the procedure of getting one dental filling takes about 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of the filling and the location of the tooth. If you are going to have such exams as x-rays or scans before the procedure, it will add about 15 to 30 minutes to the duration of your dental visit. If you are getting more than one dental filling in the same visit, the procedure will be extended. You will need to allow about 30 minutes more for every filling.
What Happens During the Procedure of Dental Filling
Preparation
The procedure will start with your doctor administering a local anesthetic via injection in the gum. Then, you will wait for approximately 5 to 10 minutes for the anesthetic to start working. If you need any of the sedation dentistry options, your dentist will administer the sedation either right before the procedure (in the case of nitrous oxide sedation and IV sedation) or one hour before the procedure (in the case of oral sedation).
Operation
Once the anesthetic takes effect, your dentist will use a special tool to remove the decayed part of the tooth (the cavity) and fill the space where the cavity used to be with resin composite. This material is the same color as your natural teeth, so it will not be obvious in the mouth. Next, your dentist will harden the resin composite by curing it with UV or blue light. Resin composite is the most popular material for dental fillings today. However, other materials, such as porcelain, silver amalgam, and glass ionomer, can be used for the procedure.
When the filling is hardened, your dentist will file it away slightly. This will ensure that it is level with the rest of your teeth and allows for a natural bite position. Your dentist will ask you to bite down on a special paper to ensure the filling is the correct height. The filling might be adjusted several times until it feels comfortable and natural. Having a filling that is too high might cause bite issues in the future, so do not hesitate to tell your dentist if the filling feels uncomfortable when you bite down.
The last step of the procedure is to polish the filling so that it is smooth and feels and looks like a part of your natural tooth. Then, your doctor will brush your teeth and ask you to rinse your mouth with a fluoride solution. This completes the procedure of getting a dental filling.
Is the Procedure of Dental Fillings Painful?
The dental fillings procedure is not painful due to the use of local anesthetic to numb the area of the procedure. You might feel slight pain when your dentist administers the anesthetic via injection in the gum, but the injection lasts only a couple of seconds.
Recovery After the Procedure of Dental Filling
The effects of the anesthetic might remain for several hours after the procedure, so we recommend abstaining from eating until the numbness is gone. Otherwise, you risk biting your tongue or lips. Other than that, no recovery period is needed after the dental filling procedure. Thus, you can return to your habitual daily activities right away. However, if you had sedation, you should not drive until the effects of sedation are entirely gone.
Your filling might feel slightly different in your mouth at first, but this sensation should go away after a day or two. If the feeling persists beyond this point, make a follow-up appointment with your dentist. Most likely, the filling is not adjusted correctly and needs to be filed down more to feel comfortable.
Get Long-lasting Dental Fillings at TruGlo Modern Dental
Sign up for an appointment with an experienced dentist at TruGlo Modern Dental today to get long-lasting dental fillings. Our dental specialists strive to make our procedures stress-free and comfortable for each of our patients and use high-quality materials and modern methods to deliver reliable results. We are looking forward to your visit to our dental office.