Dental Fillings & Cavity Repair in South Delhi

What Is a Dental Filling?

A dental filling repairs a tooth damaged by decay, a chip or a small fracture. The damaged structure is removed, and the space it leaves is rebuilt with a filling material so the tooth can be sealed, cleaned properly and used for chewing again.

At SouthEx Dental we place tooth-coloured composite fillings. Composite is a resin and ceramic material bonded directly to the tooth and shaded to match the teeth around it, so a repaired tooth does not announce itself when you speak or smile.

Signs You May Need a Filling

• Sensitivity to sweet, hot or cold food in one particular tooth, which fades once the trigger is removed.
• A visible hole, pit, chalky white patch or dark spot on a biting surface or between two teeth.
• Food that traps in the same place every time you eat, or floss that shreds at one contact point.
• A rough or sharp edge you can feel with your tongue after chipping a tooth.
• An old filling that has worn down, stained at its margins, cracked or fallen out.
• Decay found on a routine examination or bitewing X-ray, before any symptom has started.

Early decay is frequently silent, causing no pain until it has worked well below the enamel. Six-monthly examinations find cavities at the stage when they are simplest to treat.

Why Treating Decay Early Matters

Decay travels inwards. It begins in the enamel, spreads into the softer dentine beneath it, and finally reaches the pulp – the nerve and blood supply at the centre of the tooth. While the damage is confined to enamel and dentine, a filling is normally all that is needed, and the tooth stays alive.

Once bacteria reach the pulp, a filling alone can no longer save the tooth: it then needs root canal treatment, followed by a crown to protect it from fracturing. It is the same tooth – but left too long, it moves from one short appointment to a longer and more involved course of treatment. Filling a cavity early is the simplest way to avoid that.

How a Filling Is Placed

1. Assessment. The tooth is examined and, where needed, X-rayed to see how deep the decay runs and whether it has approached the pulp.
2. Anaesthesia. Local anaesthetic is given in most cases, so the tooth is numb before drilling begins. Very shallow cavities sometimes do not need it; your dentist will assess.
3. Removing the decay. The softened, infected tooth structure is cleared away and the cavity is cleaned, leaving sound tooth behind.
4. Bonding. The tooth is isolated and kept dry, and a bonding agent is applied so the composite adheres to the tooth rather than merely sitting in it.
5. Layering and curing. The composite is built up in increments, each layer hardened with a curing light before the next is added.
6. Shaping and polishing. The filling is carved back to the natural contour of the tooth, the bite is checked with articulating paper and adjusted if it feels high, and the surface is polished smooth.

Most single fillings are completed in one appointment. Deeper cavities, several teeth together, or a tooth that also needs a protective liner near the pulp will take longer, and your dentist will tell you what to expect before starting.

Tooth-Coloured Composite or Amalgam?

Amalgam – the traditional silver filling – is strong and has a long clinical history, but it is grey, it does not bond to the tooth, and it relies on mechanical retention, which usually means removing more healthy tooth structure to hold it in place.

Composite bonds adhesively to enamel and dentine. That allows a more conservative preparation, it matches your natural shade, and it can rebuild chipped corners and worn edges on front teeth where amalgam simply would not do. It is technique-sensitive and needs a dry, isolated field to bond well. Your dentist will assess which material suits the size, depth and position of your cavity.

How Long Do Fillings Last?

Typically a well-placed composite filling gives many years of service, but no filling is permanent. Its life depends on the size of the cavity, its position – the biting surfaces of molars take the heaviest load – your oral hygiene, how often you eat sugar, and whether you grind your teeth. Fillings are reviewed at every check-up, because a worn margin is far easier to repair than a filling that has failed and let decay in underneath. Where a tooth is very heavily broken down, an inlay, onlay or crown may be advised instead, as there may not be enough sound tooth left to hold a large filling securely.

What to Expect Afterwards

Numbness usually lasts one to three hours. Until it wears off, avoid chewing on that side and take care not to bite your cheek, lip or tongue – this matters particularly with children. Composite sets hard as soon as it is cured, so in most cases you can eat normally once sensation returns.

Mild sensitivity to cold or pressure for a few days is common and usually settles. Contact the clinic if the bite feels high, if sensitivity is sharp and lingering, or if discomfort is worsening rather than settling: the filling may need adjusting, or the tooth may need further assessment. To protect the repair, brush twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste, clean between your teeth every day, keep sugary food and drink to mealtimes, and attend six-monthly reviews.

Dental Fillings at SouthEx Dental

At SouthEx Dental in South Extension II, decay is diagnosed with a clinical examination and radiographs where indicated, fillings are shade-matched to your own teeth, and the bite is checked before you leave. To arrange an assessment, call +91 98106 69747.