Dental Fillings in Kitchener

Cavities are slow. They can take months or years to work through enamel, often without any pain at all. Then one day a sip of iced coffee sends a jolt through your jaw, or a sticky candy suddenly hurts. By the time a cavity makes itself known, it’s usually reached the softer layer underneath. At Fairway Dental in Kitchener we treat painful cavities and place fillings to stop the decay and rebuild the tooth. Here’s what’s happening inside the tooth, how a filling works, and what you can do in the meantime.

How a cavity turns into a toothache

Bacteria in plaque feed on sugars and starches and produce acid. That acid pulls minerals out of the enamel, a little at a time. Saliva and fluoride can repair the earliest damage, but if acid attacks happen often enough, a soft spot forms and eventually a hole.

The stages, from mild to serious

Enamel only. Often no symptoms. May show as a chalky white or brown spot.
Into the dentin. Dentin is softer and has tiny channels that lead to the nerve. Sensitivity to sweets, cold or air starts here.
Close to the pulp. Pain becomes sharper and may linger after the cold is gone.
Into the pulp. The nerve becomes inflamed or infected. Pain can be constant, throb at night or come with swelling. At this point a filling alone usually isn’t enough.

The earlier we catch it, the smaller the filling and the less likely you are to need a root canal.

Signs you might have a cavity

A quick zing with cold drinks, ice cream or sweets
Pain when biting down on one particular tooth
A hole or rough spot your tongue keeps finding
Food that gets stuck in the same place every time you eat
A dark spot or stain that wasn’t there before
Bad breath or a bad taste that brushing doesn’t fix

What to do until you’re seen

Keep the area clean. Brush gently and floss around the sore tooth to clear out trapped food. A warm salt water rinse can soothe irritated gums. Avoid very cold, very hot and sugary things, which tend to set off the pain. Over-the-counter pain relievers you normally take safely can help, used as the package directs. Pharmacies also sell temporary filling material that can cover a hole for a short time, but it’s a stopgap, not a fix.

If pain wakes you up at night, comes with swelling, or you see a bump on the gum near the tooth, call us soon. Those are signs the decay may have reached the nerve.

Getting a filling at our Kitchener office

Finding the cavity

The dentist examines the tooth and usually takes an X-ray, which shows how deep the decay goes and whether there are other cavities between teeth that you can’t see.

Numbing

For most fillings, the tooth and surrounding gum are numbed with local anaesthetic. A numbing gel goes on first so the injection is more comfortable. Very small, shallow fillings sometimes don’t need freezing at all.

Removing the decay

The soft, decayed part of the tooth is cleaned out until only healthy, firm tooth remains. You’ll feel vibration and hear the instruments, but it shouldn’t hurt. If it does, tell us and we’ll give you more anaesthetic.

Placing the filling

For a tooth-coloured filling, the tooth is kept dry, a bonding layer is applied, and the filling material is placed in layers, each one hardened with a blue light. The dentist then shapes it to match your bite and polishes it smooth. You’ll be asked to bite on a thin paper so we can check nothing is sitting too high.

Filling materials

The dentist will recommend a material based on the size and location of the cavity:

Composite resin: tooth-coloured and bonded to the tooth. The most common choice for small and medium fillings, front or back.
Glass ionomer: releases a little fluoride and bonds well near the gum line. Often used for root surface cavities and in children’s teeth.
Amalgam: the silver-coloured filling. Very durable and still useful in some situations, though less commonly placed today.
Crowns: made outside the mouth for large cavities where a direct filling wouldn’t hold up.

Cavities in children

Baby teeth have thinner enamel than adult teeth, so decay can spread through them quickly. Parents sometimes wonder whether it’s worth filling a tooth that will fall out anyway. Often it is. Baby molars stay in place until around the age of ten to twelve, they hold space for the adult teeth coming in, and an infected baby tooth can be painful and affect the tooth developing underneath. The dentist will tell you whether a filling makes sense or whether a tooth that’s close to falling out can simply be watched.

For kids, we explain each step in simple words, show them the tools before we use them, and keep the visit as short as we can. A child who has a calm first experience with a filling is much more relaxed at the next visit.

Cavities near the gum line in adults

As gums recede with age, the root surface becomes exposed. Roots aren’t covered by enamel, so they decay more easily, and these cavities often start right at the gum line. Dry mouth, which is a side effect of many common medications, makes it worse. If you notice sensitivity near the gum or see a dark notch at the base of a tooth, mention it. These cavities are usually easy to fill when small, and the dentist may suggest extra fluoride to help prevent more.

After your filling

Wait until the numbness wears off before eating so you don’t bite your cheek or tongue. Composite fillings are fully hardened when you leave. Some sensitivity to cold or pressure for a few days, or even a few weeks with deeper fillings, is normal and should fade. If it gets worse, or the tooth feels high when you close, call us so we can check it.

Stopping the next cavity

Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, and spit rather than rinse afterwards so the fluoride stays on your teeth
Floss or use interdental brushes daily, since many cavities start between teeth
Cut down on how often you snack or sip sweet drinks. Frequency matters more than amount.
Drink water after coffee, juice or pop
Chew sugar-free gum after meals to boost saliva
Keep up with regular checkups so small cavities are found early

FAQ

Can a cavity heal on its own?

Very early enamel damage can sometimes be reversed with fluoride and better habits. Once there’s an actual hole, it can’t grow back, and it needs a filling.

Does a cavity always hurt?

No. Many cavities cause no pain until they’re fairly deep. That’s why X-rays and checkups catch so many of them.

How long will my filling last?

It depends on its size, where it is, your bite and how well the area is cleaned. Small fillings in a well cared for mouth can last many years.

If a tooth is sensitive, sore or has a hole you can feel, call Fairway Dental in Kitchener at 519-893-9494. We’ll find the cavity, numb the area and place a filling that gets you back to eating comfortably.

Related treatments

Questions or ready to book? Contact our Kitchener office or call 519-893-9494.