A filling replaces a portion of a tooth due to decay or breakage. Fillings may take one or two appointments. A filling that is made in your mouth takes one appointment and one that is made out of your mouth typically takes two appointments.
Fillings Gallery Case 1
These are two old silver fillings that have served the patient well for many years. They are starting to show their age and need to be replaced.
Fillings Gallery Case 1
The left tooth was restored with a porcelain onlay, which covers the entire chewing surface of the tooth. The right tooth was restored with a porcelain inlay, which covers only the necessary part of the chewing surface.
Fillings Gallery Case 2
This is a back molar with two separate silver fillings that are very old. They need to be replaced.
Fillings Gallery Case 2
The tooth was restored with a porcelain inlay, which leaves the cusps of the natural teeth exposed.
Fillings Gallery Case 3
This is another silver filling that is showing its age and needs to be replaced.
Fillings Gallery Case 2
The tooth was restored with a porcelain onlay since the cusps, which are the tips of the teeth, were too weak to be restored without being covered.
Fillings Gallery Case 4
This is a silver filling that had decay near the gumline and needed to be replaced.
Fillings Gallery Case 4
The filling was removed and replaced with a porcelain inlay. The majority of the tooth was healthy and did not need to be restored.
Fillings Gallery Case 5
This is a lower molar with a fractured silver filling on the chewing surface and a separate silver filling on the outside portion of the tooth.
Fillings Gallery Case 5
The extent of the decay indicated replacement of the entire chewing surface, so a porcelain onlay was used.
Fillings Gallery Case 6
The smaller tooth was restored with a porcelain inlay and the larger tooth was restored with a porcelain onlay.
Fillings Gallery Case 7
This tooth has a large silver filling that is several years old and needs to be replaced.
Fillings Gallery Case 8
The silver filling on the left had decay underneath it that was detected with an x-ray during a routine check-up.
Fillings Gallery Case 8
The silver filling was removed and it was replaced with a tooth colored composite filling that took a single appointment.
Fillings Gallery Case 9
The tooth in the middle of the image had a silver filling that needed to be replaced due to new decay at the gumline.
Fillings Gallery Case 10
Both of these teeth had been brushed too hard with a hard-bristled toothbrush, which caused the gum to recede and the root surface to be scrubbed away.