CONSERVATIVE AND RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY
Repairing teeth while keeping as much of them as possible.
Conservative dentistry treats decay, cracks, chips, wear and sensitivity at an early stage, using fillings, inlays and bonding that save as much of your natural tooth as possible. Catching problems early usually means simpler, quicker and more comfortable treatment.
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Tooth-coloured materials. Local anaesthesia when needed. Every step explained first.
Small repairs that blend in with your tooth.
THE IDEA IN ONE PICTURE
Decay softens and weakens the hard outer layers of a tooth. In conservative dentistry, only the decayed or weakened part is removed, keeping the healthy tooth around it. The space is then filled with a tooth-coloured material that bonds to the tooth, is shaped to fit your bite and hardened in place.
The right repair for a tooth is decided only after examination and, where needed, an X-ray.
Illustrative concept of a tooth-coloured filling.
Early decay often causes no pain at all and is found at a check-up or on an X-ray. These are common signs worth having checked.
A brown or black mark, a rough patch or a hole you can feel with your tongue.
A short, sharp twinge when eating something sweet, hot or cold.
Floss that shreds or food that keeps trapping in one spot can point to decay between teeth.
A corner or edge that has chipped, often from biting something hard or a knock.
A filling that is cracked, worn, has a dark edge or has fallen out.
Small grooves at the neck of the tooth from hard brushing, acid or clenching, often sensitive.
When to seek care promptly. Pain that lingers after hot or cold, wakes you at night or comes on by itself may mean the nerve is affected, which can need more than a filling. Swelling that is spreading, a fever with tooth pain, or difficulty swallowing or breathing needs urgent dental or medical care the same day.
How a tooth is repaired depends on how deep the damage goes and how much healthy tooth remains. Your dentist checks:
Not every early mark needs drilling. Very early decay can sometimes be stopped with fluoride, diet changes and monitoring.
Conservative dentistry includes several treatments, chosen to keep as much natural tooth as possible. The choice is made only after assessment.
The decay is removed, the tooth is prepared with a bonding agent, and composite resin is placed in layers, shaped and hardened with a blue curing light. The shade is matched to your tooth.
For small to medium cavities in front or back teeth, usually completed in a single visit. Because the material bonds to the tooth, less healthy tooth needs to be removed.
A custom-made ceramic or composite piece is made to fit the prepared cavity exactly and bonded in place. An onlay also covers one or more of the chewing points.
For larger cavities where a direct filling may not be strong enough, but a full crown would remove more tooth than needed. Usually two visits.
A thin, flowable coating is painted into the deep grooves of the back teeth and hardened, so food and bacteria cannot settle there. No drilling or anaesthesia is needed.
Mainly for children and teenagers soon after the adult back teeth come through, and for adults with deep grooves and a higher risk of decay.
Tooth-coloured composite is added directly to the tooth to rebuild a chipped edge, close a small gap or reshape a tooth. Little or no tooth needs to be removed.
For small chips, worn edges and minor shape changes, often finished in one visit. Bonding can stain or chip over time and may need occasional polishing or repair.
Exposed sensitive areas are covered with a desensitising varnish or sealed with a small tooth-coloured filling. Advice on brushing, toothpaste and diet helps prevent further wear.
For sensitivity from exposed roots, worn notches near the gum or acid erosion, once decay and cracks have been ruled out.
A failing filling and any decay beneath it are removed, and the tooth is restored with a new filling, inlay or onlay, depending on how much tooth remains.
When a filling is cracked, leaking, has new decay at its edge or has fallen out. Intact old silver fillings do not usually need replacing just because of their age.
The tooth is examined and X-rayed if needed, and the repair, material and shade are explained and agreed with you.
The tooth is numbed if needed, kept clean and dry, and only the decayed or weakened part is removed.
A bonding agent is applied and the filling is built up in layers, each hardened with a curing light.
The filling is shaped to your bite, checked so it meets the other teeth evenly, and polished smooth.
Most fillings, sealants and bonding are done in one visit. Inlays and onlays usually need two.
Treating problems early means smaller, simpler repairs, often with little or no discomfort. Your care is planned to keep you at ease:
Photographs on this page are illustrative and do not show clinic patients or results.
The tooth is numbed with local anaesthesia when needed, so most people feel only pressure and vibration. Very small fillings and sealants often need no anaesthesia at all.
Modern composite fillings are strong and long-lasting for most cavities, and they bond to the tooth so less healthy tooth needs removing. For very large cavities, an inlay, onlay or crown may be stronger. Your dentist will advise for your tooth.
Many fillings last for years, often a decade or more. How long yours lasts depends on its size, where it is, your bite, grinding, and how well new decay is prevented around it.
Tooth-coloured fillings are fully hardened before you leave, so you can eat once the numbness has worn off. Avoid very hard foods on that tooth for the first day.
Some sensitivity to cold or biting for a few days is normal while the tooth settles, especially after a deeper filling. If it lingers, gets worse, or the bite feels high, contact the clinic.
Sometimes. Very early decay that has not formed a hole can harden again with fluoride, better cleaning and fewer sugary snacks. Your dentist will monitor it and only fill it if it progresses.
Not routinely. Intact silver fillings that are not causing problems can usually be left in place. They are replaced when they crack, leak, have decay around them, or if you would prefer a tooth-coloured option after discussing it with your dentist.
BOOK A CONSULTATION
An examination, and X-rays if needed, show what your teeth need and how much natural tooth can be saved. You will leave with a clear plan and an estimate, with no pressure to start.
Book a Consultation
Broken tooth or lost filling? Call and we will try to see you as soon as possible.
