A cavity needing treatment
Decay often progresses without pain. When it needs repair, the decayed tooth is removed and composite restores the shape.
Restorative Dentistry
Composite Fillings in Erin
Most questions about a filling come up that evening, once you are back home. For anyone from Erin or Hillsburgh, we explain the composite repair itself and exactly what to watch for afterwards, so you know when to call.
Thinking past the appointmentAsk about the repair
What the first evening feels like
Your lip is still a bit numb, dinner is waiting, and your tongue keeps exploring a tooth that suddenly feels smoother and slightly unfamiliar. That moment is when people tend to wonder what is normal.
A composite filling replaces decayed or broken tooth with a tooth-coloured resin. The dentist bonds it in place, hardens it with a light and shapes it to your bite, so it is set before you leave. Some brief sensitivity afterwards is common; pain that builds, or a tooth that hits first when you close, is worth a call. Before any of this, an exam confirms that a filling is the right repair.
Because a visit from Erin takes some planning, we make sure you head home knowing what to expect and when to phone rather than simply waiting.
Before the filling
Why a repair may be suggested
Different kinds of damage can lead to a filling. Examination shows the cause, the extent, and whether enough sound tooth surrounds the area for a bonded repair to hold.
A chip in the enamel
A limited break may suit composite. Where it is, the bite forces on it and any hidden crack determine whether a direct repair fits.
An earlier filling with a flaw
Wear or changes along an older filling are worth checking. The answer may be a small repair, a replacement or continued monitoring.
A sensitive tooth may have a cause other than decay. Note what sets it off and how long the feeling stays so it can be properly assessed.
The case for composite
Set before you leave the chair
Composite is hardened with a curing light during the visit, and its shade can be matched to your enamel, which suits visible repairs. It is also placed in selected back-tooth cavities, where the restoration’s size and chewing forces get careful consideration.
It will not be right for every tooth. Bonding needs a dry surface, and a sizeable or heavily loaded filling may be better replaced by another type of restoration. Choices are made tooth by tooth.
Patient information: ADA — tooth-coloured fillings · FDA — filling materials
Shade fitted to you
A colour is chosen for the tooth being treated so it blends with what surrounds it.
Healthy tooth kept
Bonding may let the dentist conserve sound tooth structure, depending on the tooth’s condition.
One trip for many repairs
A direct filling is often finished in a single treatment visit, though assessment or added care may be booked apart.
At the clinic
Four steps before you head home
Knowing the order of the visit can make it easier to plan your day. You can ask for a pause, and questions are welcome all the way through.
Assess the tooth
We talk about what you have noticed and check the area. X-rays may be recommended if they would help evaluate decay or nearby structures. The planned repair, other options and the estimated fee are explained before treatment.
Numb and prepare
Local anaesthetic may be given. The damaged part is removed, and the tooth is kept clean and dry so the composite can bond.
Build and harden
Resin is placed in thin layers, each cured with a light, and shaped to restore the tooth and its contact with the one beside it.
Polish and go over aftercare
The filling is polished and your bite checked. We go through what is normal over the next few days and when to call, so you have it clear before the drive.
Once you are home
Normal, or worth a phone call?
Follow the instructions for your treatment. When something does not feel right, call us before deciding whether you need to come back in.
Dinner can wait a little
Let the numbness wear off before eating so you do not chew your lip, cheek or tongue. Hot drinks can scald tissue you cannot feel.
Brief sensitivity is common
A short reaction to cold or biting may happen. Call if pain is increasing, sensitivity is not improving, or the filling feels like it meets first.
Clean as usual that night
You can usually brush and floss normally. Use a fluoride toothpaste twice daily and clean between teeth, since decay can still start at a filling’s edge.
Patient information: Cleveland Clinic — dental fillings
After-filling questions(905) 876-4488
What people wonder once they’re home
Call or ask at your visit. If something is hard to describe, tell us when it happens and how it feels.
Why does my new filling feel strange to my tongue?
Your tongue is very sensitive to small changes in shape and texture, so a new filling can feel different for a few days. If an edge feels sharp or rough, let us know.
Is cold sensitivity normal after a composite filling?
Some short-lived sensitivity to cold or biting can happen and often settles. If it is getting worse, lasts a long time after the cold is gone, or keeps you awake, call us.
When should I call about a high bite?
If the filled tooth seems to hit first, or chewing on it is sore, call once the numbness has fully worn off. A high spot is usually simple to adjust.
Can I brush and floss the filled tooth the same night?
Usually, yes. Composite is hardened before you leave, so normal brushing and flossing are fine unless the dentist has told you otherwise.
Is it okay to take a pain reliever afterwards?
Follow the dentist’s advice and the package directions. If you have health conditions or take other medicines, check with a pharmacist or your doctor first.
Should I call before driving in from Erin with a problem?
Yes. Phoning first lets us advise whether you need to be seen, how soon, and whether closer urgent care would be better, particularly if there is swelling.
Patient information: CDA — tooth-coloured fillings · FDA — existing amalgam fillings
From Erin, with a plan
Leave knowing what comes next.
Visit our Bronte Street practice for a decayed tooth, a chipped edge or a worn filling that needs a look. We assess the tooth, explain the repair, and make sure you head home knowing what to watch for.
Phone us if pain or swelling is serious. The online form suits routine, non-urgent requests.
Visit Milton Dental ClinicUnit 1, 342 Bronte St. S, Milton, ON L9T 5B7Get directions
Clinic hours
- Monday–Thursday
- 11am–7pm
- Friday–Sunday
- By appointment only
Areas we serve
- Milton
- Oakville
- Mississauga
- Georgetown
- Halton Hills
- Acton
- Campbellville
- Brampton
- Burlington
- Puslinch
- Rockwood
- Erin
- Caledon
- Etobicoke
- Old Milton
- Bronte Meadows
- Timberlea
- Dorset Park
- Dempsey
- Clarke
- Beaty
- Coates
- Harrison
- Scott
- Willmott
- Ford
- Bowes
- Cobden
- Walker
- Mountain View
- Milton Heights
- Hawthorne Village
- Valley View
- Fallingbrook
- Nassagaweya
- Trafalgar
- Esquesing
- Nelson
- Brookville
- Moffat
- Glen Williams
- Norval
- Limehouse
- Stewarttown
- Ashgrove
- Hornby
- Silver Creek
- Speyside
- Scotch Block
- North Oakville
- River Oaks
- Glen Abbey
- West Oak Trails
- Palermo
- Bronte Creek
- College Park
- Joshua Creek
- Uptown Core
- Preserve
- Iroquois Ridge
- Lisgar
- Meadowvale
- Meadowvale Village
- Churchill Meadows
- Erin Mills
- Central Erin Mills
- Streetsville
- East Credit
- Creditview
- Heartland
- Sheridan
- Mount Pleasant
- Credit Valley
- Huttonville
- Churchville
- Springbrook
- Northwest Brampton
- Bram West
- Fletcher's Meadow
- Fletcher's Creek South
- Alton Village
- Orchard
- Millcroft
- Headon Forest
- Tansley
- Brant Hills
- Tyandaga
- Kilbride
- Lowville
- Aberfoyle
- Morriston
- Arkell
- Hillsburgh
- Freelton
- Carlisle
- Waterdown
- Flamborough
- Mountsberg
