You’re enjoying your favourite candy when suddenly you have a sharp pain in your tooth. After a bit, you discover you can’t get away with food on just one side of your mouth. You realise there’s a cavity, so a trip to the dentist is required.
Here’s the question that keeps coming up: How long will it take to do this? Is this a matter of a brief drop-off, or are you heading out for the day and hoping you can feel sick to your stomach? Rest assured, we’ve all faced the same thing when learning. Just like renovating any house, it’s best to work on your cavity when it’s the right time.
What Is the Right Time to Have Your Cavity Repaired?
Cavities are like the person at a party who just won’t go home, no matter what. Problems like those often get bigger if left unattended, and the longer you ignore them, the tougher they become!
- Small Cavities Are Simple: If detected right away, your dentist can finish your cavity filling in less than 30 minutes.
- Moderate Cavity = Slightly Longer Time: If you wait a little longer, you might end up in the dental chair for 30-60 minutes.
Missing a cavity response for too long can mean you’re stuck at the dentist for much longer or might even require you to come back for a second visit. Everyone should treat others the way they’d want to be treated. Don’t delay tasks. If you deal with a cavity early, it will be simpler and more comfortable for you. You’ll be grateful for your efforts as you age.
What Determines the Time of a Cavity Filling?
Not every cavity is the same. Several reasons can make your appointment at the dental office longer:
Tiny Surface Cavities: A little dent on your car could be as easy to fix as a scratch. When the cavity is close to the nerve, it’s like rebuilding an engine. Speed is not the focus here; what matters is precision.
Painting a front tooth is easier than when the tooth is farther back, just like painting a wall. Back molars? That’s as impossible as trying to paint on the other side of your refrigerator with your eyes closed.
Type of Substance Used to Hold the Teeth:
- Silver amalgam fillings can be put in your mouth quickly (15-30 minutes).
- Composite tooth-colored fillings are made layer by layer, which means they usually take a bit more time (up to 60 minutes)
Both gold and ceramic fillings must be done in several visits, which involve working to fit them. If you can open your mouth wide and stay still for the dentist, the visit won’t be tough. If wiggling inside makes you gag a bit, it may take longer before you get comfortable.
Does the Procedure Hurt?
Now that we have started this conversation, does it hurt to get a cavity filled? Put simply, it should not. Thanks to progress in dentistry, your cavity filling dentist uses different tools that can help you feel calm.
How the Brain Loses Feeling:
- You put the gel on first, but its taste is off, and it doesn’t hurt.
- Instead of hardening the lower body like a hardening cream, we use a tiny needle to deliver the anaesthetic to a specific area for 2 seconds.
- Wait around 5-10 minutes until no pain is felt
- It will be painless from there on out!
The feelings you get:
- Forcing the drill to move through the soil
- Some experiencing feels like you’re being pushed or pulled.
- Applications made with natural water and syphon effects
- You won’t feel any pain if you have proper numbing.
Sedation takes an extra 10-15 minutes during your appointment, yet people say it’s well worth it because it’s comfortable.
How Does the Filing Process Take Place?
The main results are ready to reveal! Let’s step through what happens when your dentist is filling a cavity:
- The first step is to remove the decay (about 10 to 20 minutes).
- The drill removes all decayed material in your teeth when used by your dentist. It might sound powerful, but don’t worry because you can’t feel a thing.
- After that, you’ll need to clean and prepare your tools (takes about 5-10 minutes).
- The dentist prepares the cavity before placing the filling inside. It’s like getting things ready for painting by priming the wall.
Positioning Artefacts (10-30 minutes)
- Amalgam fillings are made and placed fast.
- The material is put into the tooth in layers and then hardened by the light.
- Other types of materials are specific to the kind of flooring you use
Perform and sharpen the edge (5-15 minutes).
Your dentist trims the filling according to your bite and smoothest it out for you. It is the last and most important part of any workout. Once you’ve allowed the teeth to be numbed, you can, on average, complete the most basic fillings in 30-60 minutes.
What Happens Soon After You Get the Filling?
You have made it through everything! Yet, what comes after that? Let this guide you as you proceed after the filling:
Immediately After:
- Your sense of touch in your mouth will remain numb for about 1-3 hours.
- It’s possible for your mouth to water (something most of us have experienced and can giggle about!)
- Speaking in a language you don’t speak fluently can be difficult at first.
- Try not to bite yourself anywhere in your mouth – you won’t notice it.
The First Few Hours
- Feelings begin to return as time goes on
- You could be sensitive to heat or cold.
- A little painful sensation near where the injection took place is okay
- When you start fixing your teeth, your bite may feel different for the first little while.
First 2-3 Days:
- Almost all the discomfort you feel can be helped with over-the-counter pain medications.
- It’s important to start noticing signs of a different pattern.
- You can start eating as you did before, gradually.
Is there something we can do to avoid getting a dental filling?
What great news, you don’t have to get cavities! More decisions about your health are under your control than you realise.
Prevention Superstars:
- Brush your teeth twice each day with fluoride toothpaste (for 2 minutes, not just 30 seconds).
- Floss every day (you should really do this – it matters a lot)
- Try to reduce how many sweets and sugary beverages you drink (your mouth will appreciate it).
- Getting your teeth cleaned every 6 months
- Have enough water to clean your mouth of bacteria.
Cavity-Fighting Foods:
- Calcium can be found in milk and other dairy products (including cheese).
- Leafy greens and nuts are both included in the Mediterranean diet.
- Sugar-free gum helps to increase saliva (a natural way to protect your teeth).
- Drinking filtered green or black tea is good for fluoride treatment.
Lifestyle Tips:
- Don’t attempt to use your teeth for anything other than eating (forget about the temptation to tear open those packages).
- Guards should be worn at night if you grind your teeth.
- Choose a fluoride rinse if you keep getting cavities.
Choose Our General Dentistry for a Brighter Smile!
Your Smile, Our Priority!
- Comprehensive Exams
- Gentle Cleanings
- Durable Fillings
- Precision Crowns & Bridges
- Sensitive Teeth Solutions

Conclusion
Filling out the form is usually much less scary and takes up far less time than you expected. Filling a cavity is like fixing a small problem, so it doesn’t lead to greater harm later. Your dentist, when treating cavities, acts almost like a superhero with a drill, preferring to keep your tooth healthy rather than letting it get worse.
That’s the best part! If you take care of your mouth and visit the dentist often, perhaps this is all the treatment you’ll ever need for cavities. After all, here we are dreaming. If you’re looking for a filling or versatile dental care, LiT Dental aims to make your experience both pleasant and timesaving. There isn’t enough time in life to stress over dental care, enjoy your favourite foods and forget about toothaches.