Fillings

What is a Dental Filling?

Dental fillings are made of resin material used to fill cavities or fix broken teeth. To treat a cavity, Dr. Bridget will remove the decayed part of the tooth and pack dental filling material to fill the space of the area that was removed. Thus, we restore the integrity of the tooth and avoid sensitivity and further damage

Do Dental Fillings Hurt?

Nope! At BME Dental, we ensure that our patients are adequately numb before proceeding with any treatment that require any drilling. However, it’s perfectly normal to feel slight sensitivity a few days after a dental filling is placed. If it continues to cause discomfort after a week, call your dentist right away! Your filling might be too high and you may need bite adjustments.

Do Dental Fillings Fall out?

It is rare for dental fillings to fall out. It can be due to many reasons like your bite being off, the filling didn’t bond well to the tooth, or most commonly, because there is tooth decay underneath the filling. Here is a list that Dr. Bridget recommends if your dental filling does fall out:

Don’t panic. Call BME Dental right away! The sooner we get your tooth fixed, the better. You may experience severe sensitivity and may require more aggressive treatment like a root canal if you delay your visit!
Avoid eating any chewy or hard foods in that area! Doing this can damage the remaining healthy tooth structure.
Clean the area regularly to avoid decay from forming inside the tooth.
Take Advil or Ibuprofen if you’re experiencing severe sensitivity.

An over-the-counter “temporary filling” may help with sensitivity if you have no access to a dentist. This also avoids food impaction in the missing space.

Do Composite Dental Fillings Have Mercury?

Nope! Composite dental fillings, also known as tooth-colored fillings, do NOT contain mercury. However, mercury is present in older amalgam metal fillings. At BME Dental, we only offer composite resin fillings. If you would like to change your metal fillings to tooth-colored dental fillings, give us a call at (972) 208-9998!

How Much Do Dental Fillings Cost?

Dental fillings are typically inexpensive and are mostly covered by your insurance. Call BME Dental today to find out more about your dental filling coverage!