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Fillings Center - Eau Claire, WI

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Eau Claire, Wisconsin

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Fillings

Introduction

To treat a cavity your dentist will remove the decayed portion of the tooth and then "fill" the area on the tooth where the decayed material once lived.

Fillings are also used to repair cracked or broken teeth and teeth that have been worn down from misuse (such as from nail-biting or tooth grinding ).

What Steps Are Involved in Filling a Tooth?

First, the dentist will numb the area around the tooth to be worked on with a local anesthetic. Next, a drill, air abrasion instrument or laser will be used to remove the decayed area. The choice of instrument depends on the individual dentist's comfort level, training, and investment in the particular piece of equipment as well as location and extent of the decay.

Next, your dentist will probe or test the area during the decay removal process to determine if all the decay has been removed. Once the decay has been removed, your dentist will prepare the space for the filling by cleaning the cavity of bacteria and debris. If the decay is near the root, your dentist may first put in a liner made of glass ionomer, composite resin, or other material to protect the nerve. Generally, after the filling is in, your dentist will finish and polish it.

Several additional steps are required for tooth-colored fillings and are as follows. After your dentist has removed the decay and cleaned the area, the tooth-colored material is applied in layers. Next, a special light that "cures" or hardens each layer is applied. When the multilayering process is completed, your dentist will shape the composite material to the desired result, trim off any excess material and polish the final restoration.

What Types of Filling Materials are Available?

Today, several dental filling materials are available. Teeth can be filled with gold; porcelain; silver amalgam (which consists of mercury mixed with silver, tin, zinc, and copper); or tooth-colored...

Recommended Reading Related to Fillings

Dental X-Rays: When to Get Them »

What Types of Problems Can X-Rays Detect?

In adults, X-ray films can be used to:

  • Show areas of decay that may not be visible with an oral examination, especially small areas of decay between teeth
  • Identify decay occurring beneath an existing filling
  • Reveal bone loss that accompanies gum disease
  • Reveal changes in the bone or in the root canal resulting from infection
  • Assist in the preparation of tooth implants, braces, dentures, or other dental procedures
  • Reveal abscesses (an infection at the root of a tooth or between the gum and a tooth)
  • Reveal other developmental abnormalities, such as cysts and some types of tumors

In children, dental X-ray films are used to:

  • Watch for decay
  • Determine if there is enough space in the mouth to fit all incoming teeth
  • Determine if p...

Emergency Contact for Eau Claire

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Eau Claire Hospitals *

St Joseph's Hospital Chippewa Falls
2661 County Highway I
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
(715)723-1811

Sacred Heart Hospital
900 W Clairemont Ave
Eau Claire, WI 54701
(715)839-4121

Luther Midelfort Hospital
1221 Whipple St
Eau Claire, WI 54703
(715)838-3311

Luther Middlefort Oakridge
13025 8th St
Osseo, WI 54758
(715)597-3121

Our Lady of Victory Hospital
1120 Pine St
Stanley, WI 54768
(715)644-5571

Bloomer Medical Center
1501 Thompson St
Bloomer, WI 54724
(715)568-2000

Tri-County Memorial Hospital
18601 Lincoln St
Whitehall, WI 54773
(715)538-4361

Red Cedar Medical Center
2321 Stout Rd
Menomonie, WI 54751
(715)235-5531

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