How do we diagnose if you need a filling?

We encourage regular visits to see our dental team here at Absolute, because we know that not all dental problems or tooth decay give rise to symptoms or pain. In fact the early stages or tooth decay and gum disease are painless, and if picked up early can often be rectified with preventative treatment rather than complex dental treatment.

We check if a filling is needed by visually examining your teeth and sometimes taking x-rays. X-rays allow us to see below the surface of a tooth to check the health of the tooth tissues below.

During a Dental Health Assessment, each tooth is looked at individually and its health recorded. The reason a tooth may not be healthy can be due to tooth decay or a problem with an existing filling. Older fillings can wear over time, they can become broken due to hard biting forces or their seal can begin to "leak" allowing the bacteria that cause tooth decay to extend beyond the margins of the filling.

The most common places for tooth decay to start is in the fissures on the biting surfaces of the teeth, or in the spaces between teeth - where plaque can stagnate and this will allow tooth decay to begin. We check these areas very carefully and record our findings. Some of these areas are more prone to staining, and although this looks suspicious, our diagnosis methods rule out active tooth decay, but we will always keep these areas under observation each time we see you. In some circumstances where an area looks particularly vulnerable, fluoride may be applied or a sealant restoration placed. If the area shows active decay, we discuss with you the available treatment options.

Tooth decay needs to be addressed quickly, and not allowed to progress through the tissues of the teeth as this can lead to more extensive treatment being required to restore the tooth to good health.

As it is the bacteria in plaque that cause tooth decay, it is so important to remove plaque from every surface of every tooth, every day; this includes those surfaces that you can't see, so flossing and Tepeing between all teeth is vital! In this respect, the health of your teeth is in your hands, so we will always encourage you, and ensure you have the right "tools", to keep your teeth and gums as healthy as possible.

If you are concerned that you need a filling, here are some of the symptoms that you might experience:

• Sensitivity: to hot, to cold, to pressure, to sweet things

• Toothache

• A sharp or throbbing pain

• Pain on biting or chewing.

And here are some of the changes that you might be able to see:

• A hole that you can see (dark spot) or a hole that you can feel

• Floss that keeps catching in a particular spot

• Food trapping continually between certain teeth

• A rough tooth

• A broken filling

• Chipped or broken tooth

• Lost filling.

If you have any concerns, or to book an appointment, please call one of the team on 01548 852165 or email info@absolute-dental.co.uk