Tooth-Colored Dental Fillings in Midtown Manhattan

Signs you may need a filling

Tooth decay starts when bacteria in plaque feed on sugars and produce acids that weaken the enamel. Left alone, it spreads into the softer layer underneath and can eventually reach the nerve. Early cavities often cause no symptoms at all, which is why regular checkups matter. As decay grows, you may notice:

• sensitivity to sweets, hot drinks or cold
• a toothache, or pain when you bite down
• a visible hole, pit or dark spot on a tooth
• food catching in the same place, or floss that shreds there
• a rough or broken edge you can feel with your tongue

Fillings also repair small chips and worn areas and replace old fillings that have cracked, worn or started to leak. They suit damage that is small to moderate. When a cavity is very large or a tooth is cracked, a dental crown may protect it better. When decay has reached the nerve, the tooth may need root canal treatment.

What a tooth-colored filling is

Tooth-colored fillings are usually made of composite resin, which combines a plastic resin with tiny glass-like filler particles. The material is bonded to the tooth, built up in thin layers and hardened with a special light. Because it bonds to the tooth, the cavity often doesn't need to be cut into a particular shape to hold the filling, so more healthy tooth can be kept. That fits Dr. Avner's conservative, preventive approach to dentistry.

Other materials have their own uses. Glass ionomer releases a small amount of fluoride and is often used where chewing forces are light, such as near the gumline. Larger repairs may call for an inlay or onlay, a piece made to fit the tooth and then cemented or bonded in place. Silver-colored amalgam, a durable metal mix, is found in many older fillings. Each material has trade-offs in strength, appearance and cost, and Dr. Avner will explain what suits your tooth.

Sometimes a temporary filling comes first, for example to settle a sensitive tooth or to protect it between visits while a longer-term repair is planned.

Benefits and what to expect

A filling:

• removes the decay so it can't keep spreading at that spot
• restores the shape of the tooth so you can chew normally
• seals the area so food and bacteria don't collect in the hole
• matches the color of the tooth around it when tooth-colored material is used

A filling is usually done in one visit. Your lip, cheek or tongue may stay numb for a few hours afterward, so wait until the feeling returns before you eat to avoid biting yourself. Composite is hardened by the light before you leave, so there's no waiting for it to set.

Some sensitivity to cold, sweets or biting pressure is common for a short time, especially after a deeper filling. If it gets worse, doesn't settle after a few weeks, or your bite feels high, call us. Results vary, and what to expect for your tooth depends on an examination.

We're open until 8 PM on Mondays and Thursdays and on Sundays, which can make it easier to fit a filling around work.

How a filling is done, step by step

1. Exam and X-rays. Dr. Avner checks the tooth and takes X-rays to see how far the decay goes, including between teeth, where cavities are hard to see.
2. Numbing. We numb the tooth and the gum around it with a local anesthetic.
3. Removing the decay. The decayed and weakened tooth structure is removed, and the cavity is cleaned.
4. Bonding. The tooth surface is prepared so the filling material bonds firmly to it.
5. Layering and curing. Composite in a shade matched to your tooth is placed in thin layers, and each layer is hardened with a curing light.
6. Shaping and bite check. We shape and polish the filling, then check your bite and adjust it so it feels even.