Dental Fillings

Restore Decayed Teeth

Dental Fillings in Queensboro

If you have a cavity, a dental filling is a great way to repair your tooth and stop the development of further complications such as an infected tooth. Dr. Adrian Lau can help you restore your decayed tooth with a composite filling, giving you peace of mind. To get started, contact BORO Dental Arts online now.

What Are Composite Fillings?

At BORO Dental Arts, we exclusively use composite dental fillings to repair decayed teeth. Unlike metal-amalgam, this material contains no mercury. Composite fillings are made of a mixture of dental resin and a special type of glass, and this material comes in a wide variety of tooth-colored shades.
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This means that composite fillings look just like a natural part of your tooth after they have been applied, with no discoloration. The filling will be indistinguishable from your natural enamel, so it provides better aesthetic results.

Recognizing Signs of a Cavity

Wondering if you may have a cavity? The most common sign is pain and discomfort in one of your teeth, which can indicate a deep cavity. More shallow cavities may still cause sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks, or may be tender when you chew hard or tough foods.
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In some cases, you may even be able to recognize visible signs of a cavity. If you can look at your mouth with a mirror, you may see brown or black stains, or visible holes and pits in the surface of a tooth, which could indicate a cavity. 
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It’s important to note that cavities don’t always hurt, particularly when they’re very small, so it’s important to see a dentist like Dr. Adrian Lau every six months for preventive care and an oral exam. This ensures that your cavities can be caught early.

The Filling Process

The filling process is very fast and simple to understand, and it usually only takes 30 minutes to an hour at BORO Dental Arts. To begin, Dr. Lau will clean your tooth and numb the area. 
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Once your mouth is numb, she will use a dental drill to remove damaged enamel from the tooth, exposing fresh enamel that’s free of decay. After the cavity has been prepared and cleaned, Dr. Lau will apply tooth-colored dental composite material to your cavity layer-by-layer, sculpting each layer and hardening it with UV light. 
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When the overall size and shape of the filling matches your tooth, Dr. Lau will use a special type of paper to check your bite, and make any necessary final adjustments to ensure your new filling fits into your bite perfectly. Then, you’ll be sent home!

Do Fillings Hurt?

Not at all. Fillings are minimally invasive and do not cause any pain or discomfort. Your mouth will be numb during the process, so while you may feel some vibrations from the drill, you will not experience any pain. Some slight tenderness or sensitivity can occur with larger fillings, but will usually only last for a few days after the procedure.