At Charming Smiles of La Quinta, we use dental fillings to reverse the impact of decay on a tooth. Our doctors provide painless tooth fillings that blend in with the rest of your teeth. Schedule a consultation for your dental fillings in La Quinta, CA, today.
What Are Dental Fillings?
Dentists use dental fillings to cover up any holes inside of a tooth. Common causes of holes include cavities, congenital defects, and damage from dental trauma. Dental fillings prevent a tooth from decaying further, restoring tooth structure, health, and function. They are the best restorative treatment for cavities yet to reach deep into the tooth.
Signs You Need Dental Fillings
Some of the signs you need dental fillings include the following:
- You have persistent bad breath that doesn’t go away even with brushing
- You have a constant and dull toothache
- You are sensitive to hot or cold beverages and foods
- You can find black or brown spots on the surface of at least one tooth
- You feel a sharp pain when you bite down on anything
At Charming Smiles of La Quinta, we use dental fillings to treat problems other than cavities. We may recommend a filling to repair a chipped tooth, and we may also recommend it for patients who grind their teeth or bite their nails, leading to tooth enamel wear.
Types of Dental Filling Materials
Traditional dental fillings are metallic and offer the most durability. However, they aren’t the best option for all patients.
Modern dental fillings are more discrete and can better match the surrounding teeth. We will help you decide on the best dental filling to use depending on the cavity size, your budget, the location of the tooth, and your preferences. The options available to you are:
Composite Resin
Composite resin fillings contain a strong mix of epoxy and silica or ceramic and are the best for patients looking for tooth-colored fillings. Composite fillings work best for large cavities, but they don’t last forever.
Patients with composite fillings have to get multiple replacements over their lifetime.
Porcelain Inlays
Porcelain inlays allow dentists to recreate the shape of a tooth more closely. However, you need multiple appointments to complete the filling.
Porcelain inlays are highly durable, but they are the most expensive among the dental fillings options you have.
Metal Amalgams
Mixed metal fillings are the most durable among the types of filling and are also the cheapest option. However, they lack aesthetic appeal. Patients who go for metal amalgams are only likely to use them for cavities or chips in the back molars.
The Dental Fillings Process
At Charming Smiles of La Quinta, we can complete dental fillings within 30-60 minutes, but the duration of the treatment depends on the extent of the tooth damage.
Upon arrival for your appointment, our dentist will numb the area, clean the tooth, and insert the fillings.
Schedule a Dental Fillings Appointment Today
Are you suffering from sensitivity, toothache, and other symptoms of tooth decay?
Call us today at (760) 354-8376 to schedule a consultation for your cavity filling at Charming Smiles of La Quinta, CA.
