Filling a cavity might be the most routine procedure in dentistry. But at Columbia Dental Care & Associates, a family dentistry in Kissimmee, FL, Dr. Aida Pagan and her team never take shortcuts when caring for their patients.

Even when performing a routine cavity filling in Kissimmee, Dr. Pagan takes special care to be sure her patients, particularly young children, are comfortable when a cavity is being filled, and leave the office knowing how they’ll need to care for their teeth moving forward.

When treating a child for a cavity filling in Kissimmee, the staff at Columbia Dental Care will explain every step that is taken, including the part of the procedure that most children — and most adults for that matter — dislike, and that’s the drilling.

Children get a brief explanation of the local anesthetic that will be used to numb the area around the tooth, and then are shown the drill itself. Dr. Pagan will explain that the drill will only be used on the portion of the tooth that is decayed, and won’t drill into their gum or any other areas of the mouth.

It’s one of the many reasons why the family dentistry in Kissimmee is considered one of the premiere dental practices in Osceola County. Columbia Dental Care takes the time to make patients of all ages comfortable with the treatments they are receiving.

The last step of a cavity filling in Kissimmee is when the dentist fills the hole that has been drilled in the tooth to remove the decay. Dr. Pagan may use a traditional silver amalgam material, or could use a composite resin material to finish the filling. Gold and porcelain can also be used to fill cavities.

Just because decay has been removed from a tooth, it doesn’t mean the decay won’t return. Teeth that have a filling must be treated like teeth that don’t. Regular brushing, rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash, and regular flossing must be maintained or the filling may become loose or start falling apart.

A cracked filling can create a separate set of problems from patients of the family dentistry in Kissimmee. In some cases, patients may wake up in the morning and have pieces of a filling in their mouth. This can sometimes be caused by grinding your teeth while you sleep. Other signs that a filling is deteriorating can be a sensitive tooth, a tooth that has developed a sharp edge in the area around the filling, or if a noticeable crack can be seen in the filling itself.

If any of these symptoms occur, patients should call Columbia Dental Care immediately and schedule an appointment. A sensitive tooth or a crack in a filling could become quite painful if left untreated, and also expose the nerves of the tooth to bacteria that could cause more decay.

Columbia Dental Care & Associates can be reached by calling 407.606.8454, or go to https://mycolumbiadental.com/ and schedule an appointment on our website. New patients are always welcome so don’t hesitate to call if you’re experiencing a dental problem and haven’t been to our family dentistry in Kissimmee for a previous appointment.