Call (801) 968-9003 or request an appointment. A first visit includes a full exam, X-rays and usually a cleaning, and we check your insurance before you arrive.
Mon to Fri from 8 AM · 5255 S 4015 W, Suite 180, Taylorsville
Southwest Dental · TaylorsvilleReady when you are.Call the office or send a request and we will find you a time. Same-day visits are held for emergencies. We speak English, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese.
A cavity is a hole in the enamel made by acid from the bacteria in plaque. It does not heal; it only grows.Small cavities are painless, which is why they are found at checkups rather than noticed at home. Left alone, decay reaches the softer inner tooth, then the nerve, and a simple filling becomes a root canal or an extraction. A filling removes the decay and seals the tooth while it is still a small job.
Materials
Tooth-colored fillings.
We place composite resin fillings matched to the color of your tooth. They bond to the enamel and need less drilling than old-style silver fillings.Composite works for front and back teeth and for small chips. For very large cavities on molars, an onlay or crown may hold up better, and the dentist will say so. Silver amalgam fillings that are cracked, leaking or bothering you can be replaced with composite.
The visit
What to expect.
A filling takes about 30 to 60 minutes. The tooth is numbed, the decay is removed, and the filling is placed, hardened with a light and polished.You can eat as soon as the numbness wears off. Some sensitivity to cold or pressure for a week or two is normal. If your bite feels high after the numbness fades, call us; a quick adjustment fixes it.
Mon to Fri from 8 AM · 5255 S 4015 W, Suite 180, Taylorsville
Questions patients ask
Filling questions
Does a filling hurt?No. The tooth is numbed before any drilling. Afterward, some sensitivity to cold for a week or two is normal and fades on its own.How long do fillings last?Composite fillings commonly last seven to ten years or longer, depending on size and location and how well the tooth is cared for. We check them at every exam.Does insurance cover fillings?Most plans cover fillings at 70 to 80 percent after any deductible. We check your coverage and tell you the exact amount before we begin.
Southwest Dental · TaylorsvilleReady when you are.Call the office or send a request and we will find you a time. Same-day visits are held for emergencies. We speak English, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese.
