If you’ve ever been told you need a filling, you might have wondered: Is it really necessary? The truth is, fillings are one of the most common and most important ways dentists protect your teeth from bigger problems down the road.

What Is a Dental Filling?

A dental filling is a treatment used to repair a damaged tooth, most often due to a cavity (tooth decay). During the procedure, the dentist removes the decayed or weakened part of the tooth and fills in the space with a strong, durable material.

This helps restore the tooth’s:

• Strength
• Shape
• Function
• Protection against further decay

Fillings allow you to chew comfortably and help prevent the tooth from getting worse.

Who Needs a Filling?

Fillings are typically used to treat cavities, but they can also repair other tooth damage. Common reasons you might need a filling include:

1. Cavities (Tooth Decay): Cavities form when bacteria in plaque produce acids that wear down your enamel. Once a cavity starts, it doesn’t heal on its own, so a filling is needed to stop it from spreading.
2. Cracked or Chipped Teeth: Small cracks or chips (often from chewing ice, hard candy, or an accident) can sometimes be repaired with a filling.
3. Worn Teeth: Teeth can wear down over time due to grinding (bruxism) or acid erosion. In some cases, fillings help rebuild worn areas.

Our expert team will evaluate your oral health needs to determine if a filling is best for you.

Signs You Might Need a Filling

Some cavities don’t cause symptoms at first, but if you notice any of these signs, it’s a good idea to schedule a visit:

• Tooth sensitivity to hot or cold
• Pain when chewing
• A visible hole or dark spot on a tooth
• A rough or jagged edge
• Ongoing toothache
• Food gets stuck in one area often

Even mild sensitivity can be an early sign of decay, so it’s best to contact our team.

Schedule an Appointment

A small cavity can become a bigger problem if left untreated. If you’re experiencing sensitivity, tooth pain, or it’s been a while since your last dental exam, Nashville Smile Creations is here to help. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Root canal treatment, also known as root canal therapy or endodontic therapy, is a dental treatment for removing an infection from inside a tooth. It can also protect the tooth from future infections. It is carried out in the pulp of the tooth, which is the root canal.

Fast Facts About Root Canal Therapy

• Root canal therapy is used to remove nerves from the pulp of a tooth.
• It is thought to be very painful, but it is a pain-relieving treatment.
• The procedure, often referred to as a root canal, is called endodontic therapy.
• Root canal therapy costs vary, but it is a less expensive option than removing a tooth and replacing it with a crown or bridge.

What Is Root Canal Treatment?

A tooth consists of a crown and roots. The crown is above the gum line, while the roots are below it. The roots attach the tooth to the jawbone. Inside the crown and the root, or the root canal, is the pulp. The pulp nourishes the tooth and provides moisture to the surrounding material. The nerves in the pulp sense hot and cold temperatures as pain. A “root canal” is not a treatment, but part of a tooth. It is the hollow section of a tooth that contains the nerve tissue, blood vessels, and other cells, also known as the pulp.

The dental procedure commonly referred to as a “root canal” is actually endodontic therapy, which means “inside the tooth.” However, the term “root canal” is commonly used to refer to the procedure. Root canal therapy is completed in three steps and often takes only one appointment, but if there are curved canals, multiple canals, or a large infection, it may require one or two additional appointments.

1. Cleaning the root canal: First, the dentist removes everything from the root canal. With the patient under local anesthesia, the dentist makes a small access hole on the tooth’s surface and removes the diseased and dead pulp tissue with very small files.
2. Filling the root canal: Next, the dentist cleans, shapes, and decontaminates the hollow area, using tiny files and irrigation solutions. Then, the tooth is filled with a rubber-like material, using an adhesive cement to seal the canals completely.
3. After root canal therapy, the tooth is dead. The patient will no longer feel any pain in that tooth because the nerve tissue has been removed, and the infection has been eliminated.
4. Adding a crown or filling: The tooth will be more fragile than it was before. A tooth with no pulp must receive its nourishment from the ligament that attaches the tooth to the bone. This supply is adequate, but in time, the tooth will become more brittle, so a crown or filling offers protection.

How Painful Is It?

One of the great fears about this kind of treatment is that it will be painful, but the pain comes from the infection, not from the treatment. The treatment does not cause pain. It helps to alleviate it. When performed by a trained dentist, the procedure should be relatively painless. The dentist will numb the tooth and surrounding area with local anesthesia.

After the treatment, some tenderness is normal. It is temporary, and over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication may be enough to relieve it. If needed, prescription drugs, such as codeine, are available. The dentist may prescribe an antibiotic to treat or prevent infection.

When Do You Need Root Canal Treatment?

A deep cavity, a cracked tooth, or a loose filling can allow bacteria to enter the pulp. The bacteria will eventually destroy the pulp. When pulp becomes injured or diseased, it cannot repair itself, and the tissue dies. A pulp injury will make the tooth sensitive to high and low temperatures. There may be pain when chewing, and some people have a continuous, throbbing pain.

If bacteria penetrate the root openings, they can cause an infection in the bone. An infection will weaken the bone and cause it to break down. The ligaments around the tooth will swell, and the tooth will become loose. Without treatment, the infection will spread. Eventually, the tooth will become loose and need to be extracted. Some patients opt for extraction, especially if they are in severe pain or if the tooth cannot be restored due to large decay, trauma, or loss of bone due to periodontal disease. However, removing a tooth may cause the surrounding teeth to move and become crooked.

Root canal therapy will usually save the tooth and eliminate the pain. Saving the natural tooth is best, if possible, because nothing functions as well as a natural tooth.

What Does it Cost?

The cost of dental treatment varies widely, but saving the tooth with a root canal is relatively cost-efficient. The other option is extraction, and the cost of an implant or bridge to replace the tooth afterward is usually more expensive. Extraction can also lead to malocclusion (misaligned teeth) and difficulty chewing.

Complications

As with any procedure, complications can occur. Sometimes the dentist only finds three root canals in a tooth that has four. If one canal remains untreated, the infection might continue and spread into the bone. Your dentist must also ensure the filling material extends far enough into the canal to fill it. If the root canal is not properly sealed, the infection could return. During the procedure, the tooth root may crack, or the instruments may break in the canal or perforate it. This makes it hard to fill the tooth effectively. To avoid complications, patients should always follow the dentist’s instructions. If an antibiotic is needed, it is important to finish the entire prescription. It is essential to place a permanent restoration, such as a crown, after root canal therapy is complete to help protect the tooth from infection.

Root canal treatment can relieve pain and save your natural tooth. Contact us to schedule an emergency consultation and get relief, fast. We offer same-day emergency appointments to get you the care you need as quickly as possible.

A tooth extraction is a dental procedure in which a tooth is removed from its socket. Tooth extraction is the last option considered in dental treatment, and it’s important to understand why it may be necessary.

Two Types of Extraction Procedures

• Simple Extractions: Simple extractions are performed on visible teeth and are typically done under local anesthesia.
• Surgical Extractions: Surgical extraction procedures are performed when the tooth cannot be easily accessed. This happens when the tooth has not fully erupted or has broken below the gum line.

In this procedure, the dentist may create an incision to elevate the soft tissues covering the tooth. In some cases, the tooth may be split into multiple pieces to facilitate its removal. Surgical extractions are usually performed under general anesthesia.

Five Reasons Why We Resort to Tooth Extraction

You have two sets of teeth. When the first set of teeth (often called baby teeth) falls out, the second set, the permanent teeth, replace them. Permanent teeth are meant to last a lifetime. However, teeth extraction may be necessary for the following instances:

• Irreparable tooth damage due to severe decay: This happens when tooth decay reaches the center of the tooth, which is the pulp. Bacteria produced by decay can invade the pulp and cause an infection. A root canal procedure may help treat the infection. However, if the infection is severe, extraction may be performed to prevent the infection from spreading.
• A viable solution to periodontal disease: Periodontal disease is caused by bacteria in dental plaque, a sticky substance that forms on your teeth several hours after eating and after not brushing. It is an infection of the gums, periodontal ligaments, alveolar bone, and other structures surrounding the teeth. In some cases, severe periodontal disease may lead to tooth loosening. When this happens, tooth extraction may be a dental option.
• Extraction may help an impacted tooth: A tooth is impacted when it is blocked from erupting or when the gums prevent it from coming through. This is usually the case for wisdom teeth. Your dentist may recommend extracting the impacted tooth to prevent it from damaging other teeth. Extracting an impacted tooth may also help lower the risk of infection and overcrowding.
• To eliminate teeth overcrowding: The extraction of one or several teeth may be necessary to eliminate the overcrowding in the mouth. This is recommended when the patient needs orthodontic treatment, and there is no room for the teeth to move and realign.

When an accident, such as a car collision, occurs and the patient requires dental treatment, the first option is always to preserve the teeth. Dental bonding, crowns, bridges, or veneers may be recommended. However, if the dental issue is severe, a tooth extraction may be required.

Extractions at Nashville Smile Creations

Dr. Mena is highly skilled and experienced in performing dental extractions. He will thoroughly check your teeth, gums, and mouth before extracting a tooth, and ensure the area where the tooth is to be extracted is completely numb. At Nashville Smile Creations, patient comfort is our first concern. Contact us to schedule an emergency consultation and review your options.