When your tooth shows signs of decay, your Walker & Associates Dental & Implant Clinic dentist can help to stop it before any further damage is caused. Fillings are applied to small and developing cavities to restore your tooth back to its normal shape and prevent any further decay.

    Spot decay before it gets serious

    When you visit for a check up, your dentist will use a small inspection mirror to assess the surface of your teeth, looking for signs of decay or little cracks and fissures. They will let you know as soon as they see anything that might require treatment, and a small filling is a lasting preventative solution that far outweighs a root canal treatment, which can be the result of extensive decay. By closing up the gap, your dentist is preventing bacteria from getting in and preserving your tooth in the least invasive way.

    The process is straightforward and often only requires one or two appointments at your local Faringdon practice. Once your dentist has assessed the area that requires treatment, they will clear out any decay before filling the clean cavity with a material of your choice.

      What kind of fillings are available?

      There are a number of different materials that can be used to fill a hole in your tooth. Indirect fillings are those that require a couple of visits to Walker & Associates Dental & Implant Clinic as the tooth is treated with a tailormade filling that has to be crafted to your needs in a dental laboratory before fitting. Direct fillings are those that can be applied in one sitting, or chairside. White or tooth coloured options prove to be the most popular of these options as they remain the quickest and most natural-looking of the options – no one can tell that you’ve had a filling.

      Indirect:  

      • Gold fillings. Gold is known for its low reactivity, meaning it is a safe substance to leave in your mouth for years. Gold fillings are also long-lasting and could stay in place well for over 20 years. However, gold fillings are also ‘indirect’, so they require manufacture in a dental laboratory and then applying to your teeth, making this one of the longer processes.
      • Porcelain fillings. Porcelain fillings are referred to as onlays or inlays, and are custom-made and then fitted to your teeth. They boast a similar durability to that of gold fillings, but look more natural.

      Direct:

      • Silver (amalgam) fillings. Silver fillings are also durable, but due to their noticeable colour are mostly used for treating the back teeth.
      • Composite resin fillings. Composite resin is a kind of plastic that will match your natural tooth colour, making a filling less visible. The resin mixture can be poured straight into the cavity, making it a relatively quick treatment, if a little less durable than gold or silver.

      Should you require a filling, your dentist will discuss with you the different options available and best advise on the most suitable for you and your teeth.

      When was your last check-up? Contact Walker & Associates Dental & Implant Clinic on 01367 240514 today to book your next one.

        Treatments

        Root canal treatment

        If you have been experiencing severe tooth pain, it is possible that you may require root canal treatment. Your Walker & Associates Dental & Implant Clinic dentist can treat your tooth without the need to remove it, leaving you pain-free and in good oral health.

          Treatments

          Inlays and onlays

          If you have damage to a tooth that cannot be fixed with a filling, our Walker & Associates Dental & Implant Clinic dentists can fit an inlay or onlay to cover the damage and restore your tooth to its natural looking state.

            Next steps

            Ready to see one of our dentists?

            If you want to find out more, please get in touch.

              Walker Associates Dental Implant Clinic Reception With Patient

              Portman Dental Care Awards

              Fmc Logo 2019 Winner Oby M25
              Award Logo 2018
              Dental Industry Award - Portman Dental Care
              The Dentistry Awards - Portman Dental Care
              Private Dentistry Awards - Portman Dental Care
              Elite Practice Award - Portman Dental Care

              Regrettably, our NHS services ended on 30th September 2023. We explored all available options to carry on providing NHS services, but unfortunately these were exhausted, and we had no alternative but to hand back our contract and stop providing NHS services as of 30th September 2023. If you would like to find a new practice that accepts NHS patients, you can use the NHS find a dentist service.