Fillings

A filling repairs a hole in a tooth before it becomes a hole in your month. The visit is short and ordinary: the tooth is numbed, the decay is removed, the space is filled and shaped, and you're done, usually within a single appointment, usually in well under an hour. If you've been sitting on a small "gaatjie" hoping it stays small, the honest news is that it won't; the good news is that catching it now is the cheap, easy version of this story.

What it's like

First the numbing: gel on the gum so the injection itself is milder, then the local anaesthetic, then a few minutes for it to take hold. We check before starting, and you should feel pressure and vibration, not pain. If anything sharp comes through, raise a hand and we stop and top up. That offer is real, not politeness.

Then the repair: the softened, decayed part of the tooth is cleaned out, the healthy tooth is prepared, and the filling material is placed in layers, hardened, and shaped so your bite closes properly. You'll be asked to tap your teeth together and slide them around. Say honestly if it feels proud, because "I'll get used to it" is how people buy themselves a week of jaw ache.

Afterwards: the numbness wears off in a few hours (mind hot drinks and cheek-chewing until it does), and mild sensitivity to cold for a few days is common and settles. Sensitivity that gets worse instead of better, or pain on biting that persists, is worth a call. Sometimes a filling needs a small bite adjustment, a two-minute fix.

Tooth-coloured fillings

Modern fillings are matched to the colour of your tooth. The material is a resin-based composite: in plain words, a mouldable white material that bonds to the tooth and is hardened in place with a light. Bonding matters beyond looks: because the material sticks to the tooth rather than just sitting in it, the preparation can often be smaller, keeping more of your own tooth. Composite is what we use for most fillings; in some cases we use glass ionomer, another tooth-coloured material, instead.

The amalgam question, answered neutrally: if you have old silver-coloured amalgam fillings, they don't need replacing just for being amalgam. Amalgam has been used for generations, and drilling out a sound filling sacrifices healthy tooth for no clinical gain. We replace a filling when it's failing (cracked, leaking, or with new decay underneath), and by default we replace it with tooth-coloured material. If you'd like a visible amalgam swapped for cosmetic reasons, that's a reasonable request we're happy to price for you; we just won't frighten you into it.

Why fillings fail, and how we spot it early

No filling lasts forever. Every bite flexes the tooth, edges wear, and over years a microscopic gap can open where filling meets tooth: a gap a toothbrush can't clean and bacteria can find. That's how decay starts under an old filling, silently, without the tooth looking any different from the outside.

This is most of the argument for check-ups: at examination we check the margins of your existing fillings and take X-rays where warranted, which is how a failing filling gets caught while it's still a re-fill rather than a rebuild. A filling replaced on time costs a filling; one discovered by toothache often costs a root canal.

When a filling isn't enough

There's an honest limit to what a filling can do. When decay has hollowed out more tooth than it leaves behind, a bigger and bigger filling just sets up the next fracture. At that point the tooth needs something that holds it together from the outside: an inlay, an onlay, or a crown. And when decay has reached the nerve (the throbbing, keeps-you-up-at-night kind of pain), a filling can no longer solve it; the tooth needs a root canal first.

If your tooth is past the filling stage, we'll tell you before we start, with the options and their prices, not after.

What fillings cost

Fillings are priced by size and the number of surfaces involved, so a precise number needs an examination. But it's the least expensive item on this entire section of the site, and the exact price comes before any drilling. Most medical aids cover fillings as basic dentistry; we'll help you confirm yours.

Frequently asked questions

Does getting a filling hurt?

The tooth is numbed and checked before we start; expect vibration, water and pressure rather than pain. The most-disliked part for most people is the numbing itself, which is over in seconds and softened with numbing gel first.

How long does a filling last?

Years, usually. It depends on the size of the filling, where it sits, and how the tooth is used (grinding shortens the life of everything; see bite plates). Check-ups are how we catch one nearing the end of its service.

Can I eat straight after a filling?

The filling itself is hardened before you leave the chair. Wait for the numbness to wear off before chewing so you don't bite your cheek or tongue. A couple of hours, typically.

Do I really need a filling if nothing hurts?

Early decay doesn't hurt. Pain arrives only once decay is near the nerve, which is the expensive stage. A filling recommended from an X-ray before you feel anything isn't upselling; it's the whole point of catching things early. Ask us to show you the X-ray. We will.

Why did my tooth turn sensitive after a filling?

A freshly filled tooth often grumbles at cold for a few days while it settles. If sensitivity worsens or biting hurts, phone us. A small bite adjustment usually sorts it, and it's a quick visit.