Fillings

Tooth decay is destructive. It can quickly spread throughout your mouth, damaging the enamel of your teeth and causing cavities. Tooth decay cannot, and should not, be ignored. At Pike & Valega, DDS, dental fillings are commonly used to restore a tooth damaged by decay.

Learn more about how our dentists determine if dental fillings are a good treatment option for you.

Dental Fillings Strengthen and Restore Teeth Damaged by Decay

When bacteria from food particles and plaque is left to accumulate around the teeth and gums, decay starts to form. At first, the decay may only cause staining or discoloration. However, if left untreated, the decay starts to cause extensive damage to the enamel of the teeth.

Dental fillings stop the spread of tooth decay while strengthening and restoring a damaged tooth.

How Do Dental Fillings Treat Cavities and Stop the Spread of Tooth Decay?

The first step of the dental filling process is to remove the decay from the tooth. Our dentists use a small handheld drill to gently remove tooth decay from the cavity. Once the decay is removed, it can no longer cause damage to the tooth.

Unfortunately, the removal of decay leaves a hole in the tooth’s enamel. The hole needs to be filled to prevent tooth decay-causing bacteria and food particles from accumulating in the area.

The dental filling closes up the hole created by tooth decay. A special medical-grade material, such as composite, replaces the part of the tooth that has been damaged. This enhances the integrity of the tooth by strengthening it.

Treatment times vary depending upon the size of the cavity.

In addition to being a relatively quick procedure, there are no complex aftercare instructions or restrictions that need to be followed. Our dental team may recommend not eating or drinking anything for 30 to 60 minutes afterward, but that is often the only aftercare needed.

Have a Cavity That Needs Treatment? Call Us to Schedule an Appointment

Think you have a cavity that needs to be filled? Don’t delay getting a cavity treated — call us to schedule an appointment. We will gladly do our best to schedule you as soon as possible so your cavity can be quickly treated.

If it is more convenient, you can fill out our request an appointment form. We will reach out to you directly to schedule an appointment at either our Poolesville dental office or Rockville dental office.