Natural Looking Dental Fillings Can Restore Confidence

Baer Dental - Where we treat people, not teeth.

We Provide Dental Fillings in Aurora, CO

Looking at the statistics – most of us will get at least one cavity in our lifetime. It is truly an accomplishment to be cavity free for a lifetime. However if you find yourself with a cavity, it is best to get it filled when it is small rather than waiting until it starts to hurt.

What are Dental Fillings?

Dental fillings help restore the function and look of a tooth that is suffering from decay and are the most popular and easiest way to treat a cavity without simply extracting the tooth and leaving a gap in your teeth. Fillings are a relatively simple procedure and can be accomplished in a single office appointment.

Contact Baer Dental Designs Today To Start your Dental Filling Consultation

(303) 557-6453

Types of Dental Fillings

Presently there are two types of tooth fillings available to patients who need this procedure composite and amalgam. Our office only places tooth colored composite fillings. However, some dental offices still do place the silver or “Amalgam” fillings.

Composite Fillings

This is the most popular because of its ability to match more closely to the natural color of teeth. Composite is a resin material made by combining plastic and glass. Many dental practices have made the choice to only having composite filling available to their patients.

Amalgam Fillings

This silver colored version has been around much longer and is still used primarily as a low-cost option to treat cavities. Amalgam created by combining various metals and binding them together using elemental mercury. Despite the use of mercury, the American Dental Association (ADA) as well as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves dental amalgam as a safe material for dental restoration.

Call Baer Dental Designs Today at (303) 557-6453

Dental Filling Procedure

The process of receiving a dental filling is fairly straight forward and can be completed in 3 basic steps.

Administration of local anesthetic to numb the immediate area
Preparation of the tooth : This is done by removing the decayed areas or, for a filling replacement, removing the existing filling and cleaning the surrounding area.
Applying the filling material to be used into the void left by removing the affected areas and shaping it to closely match your existing bite

Children are more susceptible to decay since baby teeth are softer than adult teeth. When children get cavities in their baby teeth, the dental filling and recovery process is essentially the same. Depending on the age of the child and the level of their anxiety, Nitrous Oxide might sometimes be administered to help relax him or her during the procedure.

If you want this option available to your child or yourself, be aware that no food should be consumed for at least 2 hours before the appointment.

Cost & Insurance Coverages

Dental filling costs are based on a number of different factors. These include the size of the filling needed. Dental insurance often covers preventative care consisting of regular exams, cleanings, and x-rays. Usually, a percentage of the cost of treatments like fillings are covered.

Check with your company or our staff to see what type of coverage you have and what your potential out of pocket expenses could be. Sometimes dental insurances will not cover the placement of tooth colored fillings on back teeth. They pay what they would have paid for a silver filling and you pay the additional amount.

Prior to a filling procedure, we will go over what treatment you will need and give you an estimate of what we expect your dental insurance to pay based on the coverage we receive from your dental insurance provider.

This is not a guarantee of payment, rather an estimate from your dental insurance company. Sometimes they may pay more than expected, but often times they pay close to what was expected. There are times that they may deny coverage due to frequency or plan limitations.

Our dental clinic is conveniently located in Aurora, CO near Southlands but also services Lakewood, Thornton, Arvada, Centennial, Stapleton, Green Valley Ranch, Castle Rock, Virginia Village, Parker, Littleton, and all neighboring communities.

Candidates for Fillings

Although cavities may sometimes have symptoms like pain or sensitivity to cold and hot foods and drinks, very often cavities can’t be felt at all. Depending on its location, you might be able to see it on the outside of your tooth, but most often only an exam and possibly only an x-ray will make it visible.

Treating cavities early on, before the decay has a chance to spread, is the best way to ensure you don’t lose the entire tooth. This is a primary reason why regular checkups and cleanings are a crucial part of early detection and optimal oral health.

Filling Aftercare

Recover from a filling procedure is usually fast and easy. You may have extra sensitivity to hot and cold for a little while so its best to avoid those. Also avoid very chewy, or sticky foods as well as extra hard foods for a while to let the filling set.

Once your tooth has time to recover, you will be able to go back to your normal eating and drinking routines. Just remember that any dental restoration needs to be maintained and checked regularly to ensure they are remaining intact and serviceable.

If you think you may be in need of a dental filling, or just want to have a check-up to make sure everything’s clear, call us today to set up an appointment.