What Dental Fillings Can Address
Fillings are generally used where decay has created a cavity, or where a tooth has minor wear or a small chip that needs repairing. They address damage that's contained within a relatively limited area of the tooth. Whether a filling specifically applies to your own tooth is an assessment question, not something this page decides.
How Fillings Differ from Inlays, Onlays and Crowns
A filling is placed directly into the tooth in a single visit, using a material that's shaped and set in place there and then. Where the damage is more extensive than a filling can reasonably address, but not extensive enough to need a full crown, an inlay or onlay — made outside the mouth and fitted at a later visit — may be considered instead. Where a tooth needs full coverage, a crown may be the more appropriate route. See Inlays and Onlays for that alternative, and Dental Crowns for full-coverage restorations.
Assessment and Planning
Your dentist would examine the tooth, generally with the help of an X-ray, to assess how much of the tooth is affected and which type of restoration best suits the damage. The specific filling material used is a clinical decision made for your own case and isn't named or promised here.
What to Expect in General Terms
Fillings are generally completed in a single visit. The damaged part of the tooth is removed, the area is prepared, and the filling material is placed, shaped and set. Your bite is then checked to make sure the filling feels comfortable.
Considerations and Limitations
Fillings don't last indefinitely and may need to be replaced or repaired over time, particularly if decay develops around or beneath them. Some sensitivity to hot, cold or pressure is a general consideration in the period after a filling is placed. Outcomes vary between individuals.
Looking After a Filling
A filled tooth is generally cared for like any other, with regular brushing and dental check-ups to monitor how it's holding up over time. Specific guidance would be part of your own treatment plan.
Related Treatments
For more extensive damage, see Inlays and Onlays. For a tooth needing full coverage, see Dental Crowns.
General information only — every treatment decision follows an individual clinical assessment.