Fillings Center - St. Louis, MO
WebMD Physician DirectorySt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri.
The city contributed to the musical styles of blues, ragtime, and jazz. The St. Louis Cardinals, one of the most successful Major League Baseball teams, make their home at Busch Stadium. Other professional teams include the St. Louis Rams (football) and St. Louis Blues (hockey). A diversity of successful sports franchises has led to St. Louis being called "North America's Best Sports City." The city's many 19th-century breweries shaped beer in the United States, most notably Anheuser-Busch, Falstaff Brewing Corporation, and Lemp Brewery. The vestiges of French and Spanish colonization make St. Louis one of the largest centers of Roman Catholicism in the United States. Upcoming Local Events2012-06-09
2012-06-09
2012-06-17
2012-06-17
2012-06-17
2012-06-17
2012-06-30
2012-07-15
2012-07-21
2012-08-05
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 St. Louis
Nearby St. Louis Hospitals * SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center  St Louis VA Medical Center John Cochran Division  Saint Louis University Hospital  The Rehabilitation Institute of St Louis  St Louis Children's Hospital  Barnes-Jewish Hospital South Campus  Barnes-Jewish Hospital North Campus  Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital  Kindred Hospital St Louis  St Alexius Hospital Broadway Campus  St Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center  Metropolitan St Louis Psychiatric Center  Forest Park Community Hospital  Select Specialty Hospital St Louis  SSM Rehab  SSM St Mary's Health Center  Gateway Regional Medical Center  Hawthorn Children's Psychiatric Hospital  Touchette Regional Hospital  St Louis VA Medical Center Jefferson Barracks  Shriners Hospital for Children  Christian Hospital NE  Memorial Hospital Belleville  Kindred Hospital St Anthony's  St Anthony's Medical Center  Northwest HealthCare  Ranken Jordan Pediatric Rehabilitation  Missouri Baptist Medical Center  St John's Mercy Medical Center  Des Peres Hospital  Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital  St Elizabeth's Hospital Belleville  SSM DePaul Health Center  Dubuis Hospital of St Louis  St Luke's Urgent Care Center in Fenton  SSM St Clare Health Center  St Luke's Hospital  Anderson Hospital  St John's Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital  SSM St Joseph Health Center  St Clare's Hospital  Alton Memorial Hospital  St Anthony's Health Center  St Luke's Urgent Care Center on Clarkson Road  Barnes-Jewish St Peter's Hospital  St John's Urgent Care Center Saint Peters  Center Pointe Hospital  St Luke's Urgent Care Center in St Charles  St John's Mercy Urgent Care Center  Jefferson Regional Medical Center  Progress West HealthCare Center  St Luke's Urgent Care Center at WingHaven  St Joseph's Hospital of Highland  Red Bud Regional Hospital  SSM St Joseph Hospital West  Jersey Community Hospital 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. |
Suggested Reading on Fillings by Our Doctors
-
Related Diseases & Conditions
5 articles-
Toothache
- Toothache usually refers to pain around the teeth or jaws. In most instances, toothaches are caused by tooth or jaw problems, such as a dental cavity, a cracked tooth, an exposed tooth root, gum disease, disease of the jaw joint (TMJ), or spasms of the muscles used for chewing. A toothache can also be caused by a problem that does not originate from a tooth or the jaw, like diseases of the heart (angina or heart attack), ear infections, and sinus infections. A thorough oral examination, which includes dental X-rays, can help determine the cause.
-
Gum Disease
- Gum disease is caused by plaque and may result in tooth loss without proper treatment. Symptoms and signs of gum disease (gingivitis or periodontal disease) include receding gums, bad breath and pocket formation between the teeth and gums. Treatment depends upon the stage of the gum disease, how you responded to earlier treatments, and your overall health.
-
Dental Injuries
- Dental injuries range from a chipped or fractured tooth to a knocked out tooth. Treatment depends upon the severity of the dental injury. Dental injuries may be prevented by aligning protruding front teeth with braces and using face masks and mouthguards while playing sports.
-
Cavities
- Learn more about what cavities like, their symptoms, treatment and prevention. See how tooth decay, plaque and bacteria contribute to the creation of cavities and how regular brushing and flossing can help.
-
Oral Health Problems in Children
- Oral health problems in children include thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip sucking, tooth decay, and early tooth loss. Get tips on how to prevent these problems in your child.
-
Toothache
-
Medications
0 articles -
Procedures & Tests
6 articles -
Pictures, Images & Quizzes
1 articles -
Doctor's & Expert's Views
1 articles -
Health News
4 articles -
Health Features
1 articles
