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DENTAL HEALTH…Demystifying Dental Filling Procedure – TOOTH PREPARATION

Apr 24, 2016 News

By Dr. NerominiFagu
Many of us have been told by our dentist that we need a filling on a tooth or we run the risk of losing that tooth to decay.  Yet many persons often put off the treatment, some out of fear and some because they think that the tooth is not hurting so there is no urgency in getting the treatment done.
Well, if you have been told by your dentist that you need a filling, please get it done.  This week I will walk you through the process of what to expect when you have to get a filling done, and I will begin with tooth preparation.  Hopefully, after reading this, you will no longer put off your treatment.
As a dentist, one of my main goals when treating my patients is to cause as little pain as possible.  I remember being told in dental school that if you can give a painless injection then you have that patient for life.  Over the years, I have practised this one simple fact and it has worked out quite well.
Injections have a reputation for being painful, but the truth is that the amount of pain you experience during an injection will largely depend on the skills of your dentist.
The first step in the filling procedure is to make sure you are comfortable and to ensure a pain free treatment.  Some fillings may not require your tooth to be numbed and your dentist will go ahead with the tooth preparation without any local anesthesia.  However, if the decay is deep your dentist will need to numb the tooth in order to do the treatment.
Depending on the location of your filling, your dentist may use a rubber dam to isolate the tooth and help make the procedure easier.  Your dentist may also use a bite block to keep your mouth open so that you can relax without straining your jaw muscles.
Tooth preparation is done with high speed and slow speed hand pieces more commonly known as dental drills.  This is probably one of the worse parts of the procedure because the high pitch noise emitted by the high speed drill can be quite disconcerting.  However, once you can get past the sound of the drill you will be okay.  Remember, because of the proximity of the drill to your ears, the sound is amplified and makes it sound worse than it is.
The drill, along with special burs, is used to remove the decayed part of the tooth.The drill emits a spray of water which is important in preventing damage to the pulp (nerve of the tooth).A suction system is used to remove tooth debris and the water from your mouth.
After using the high speed drill your dentist will switch to a slow speed drill.  This is important as it gives your dentist more control in removing decay that is close to the pulp and it helps to refine the tooth preparation.  Water will not be used during this step.
The slow speed drill gives some amount of vibration when in contact with the tooth so I would usually tell my patients it’s akin to going over a bumpy road.  Some dentists use just a high speed drill and that may work for them.  I, however, like to err on the side of caution and like to use both hand pieces. Finally, hand instruments may also be used to remove decay and shape the cavity preparation.
Once the tooth has been prepared it is ready for the filling.  There are different types of filling materials available and we will continue our discussion next week with these materials.  Until then, if you have a tooth that has decay and you think you might need a filling, take the guesswork out of it and go see your dentist for an examination.  Remember, if caught in time, your tooth can be saved with a filling.

For more information contact OMNI DENTAL at 295 Quamina Street, Georgetown Tel: 227-0025, Parika Tel: 260-3133 or send emails to [email protected].

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