Fillings Center - Saint Charles, MO
WebMD Physician DirectorySaint Charles, MissouriUpcoming Local Events2012-06-09
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FillingsIntroductionTo 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 FillingsWho Should Get Sealants?Because of the likelihood of developing decay in the depressions and grooves of the premolars and molars, children and teenagers are obvious candidates for sealants. However, adults without decay or fillings in their molars can also benefit from sealants. Typically, children should get sealants on their permanent molars and premolars as soon as these teeth come in. In this way, the dental sealants can protect the teeth through the cavity-prone years of ages 6 to 14. In some cases, dental sealants may also be appropriate for baby teeth, such as when a child's baby teeth have deep depressions and grooves. Because baby teeth play such an important role in holding the correct spacing for permanent teeth, it is important to keep these teeth healthy so they are not lost too early. How Are Sealants Applied?Applying the sealant is a simple and painless process. It takes only a few m... Other Related Fillings ArticlesEmergency Contact for Saint Charles
Nearby Saint Charles Hospitals * SSM St Joseph Health Center  SSM DePaul Health Center  Barnes-Jewish St Peter's Hospital  St John's Urgent Care Center Saint Peters  Ranken Jordan Pediatric Rehabilitation  Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital  Northwest HealthCare  Center Pointe Hospital  St Luke's Hospital  St Luke's Urgent Care Center in St Charles  St John's Mercy Medical Center  St John's Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital  Dubuis Hospital of St Louis  Missouri Baptist Medical Center  St John's Mercy Urgent Care Center  Shriners Hospital for Children  Hawthorn Children's Psychiatric Hospital  Christian Hospital NE  Progress West HealthCare Center  St Luke's Urgent Care Center at WingHaven  St Luke's Urgent Care Center on Clarkson Road  Des Peres Hospital  SSM Rehab  SSM St Mary's Health Center  Metropolitan St Louis Psychiatric Center  SSM St Joseph Hospital West  Forest Park Community Hospital  Select Specialty Hospital St Louis  Barnes-Jewish Hospital North Campus  Kindred Hospital St Louis  Barnes-Jewish Hospital South Campus  St Louis Children's Hospital  The Rehabilitation Institute of St Louis  St Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center  St Louis VA Medical Center John Cochran Division  Saint Louis University Hospital  SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center  SSM St Clare Health Center  St Clare's Hospital  St Anthony's Health Center  St Luke's Urgent Care Center in Fenton  Alton Memorial Hospital  Gateway Regional Medical Center  St Alexius Hospital Broadway Campus  Kindred Hospital St Anthony's  St Anthony's Medical Center  SSM St Joseph Health Center Wentzville  Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital  St Louis VA Medical Center Jefferson Barracks  Jersey Community Hospital  Touchette Regional Hospital  Lincoln County Medical Center  Anderson Hospital  Memorial Hospital Belleville  St John's Mercy Hospital  St Elizabeth's Hospital Belleville Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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