A small fix now beats a big one later.
A composite filling is a tooth-coloured restoration that repairs a cavity, chip or worn edge in a single visit. The material is matched to your natural tooth shade and bonded in place, so the repair blends in — and the tooth is protected from further decay. Most fillings take well under an hour, with the area numbed first.
We explain what we see, and what we'd suggest, before anything happens.
What is a composite filling?
A composite filling is a tooth-coloured resin used to repair a tooth after decay, a chip, or wear. Your dentist removes the damaged area, layers the resin in, sets it with a curing light, then shapes and polishes it so it looks and feels like your own tooth — all in one appointment.
Composite resin bonds directly to the tooth structure, which means the preparation can stay conservative — only the damaged part of the tooth is removed. The shade is matched to the teeth around it, so the filling sits quietly in your smile rather than announcing itself.
Fillings are one of the most common procedures in dentistry, and one of the most worthwhile to do early. A small cavity treated now is a short, simple appointment. Left alone, decay doesn't pause — it deepens toward the nerve, where the conversation becomes a root canal or a crown instead.
Fillings sit within our general dentistry services. You can also read about Airflow cleaning and deep cleaning when discussing ongoing care.
When might a tooth need a filling?
Decay doesn't always hurt at first — which is why regular check-ups matter. A few situations where a filling is usually the answer.
A cavity spotted at your check-up
Most fillings start here — a small area of decay found during a routine examination or on an X-ray, long before it causes symptoms. Early treatment keeps it a small job.
Sensitivity to sweet or cold
A tooth that's started reacting to cold drinks or sweet foods can be showing early decay or a worn patch of enamel. Worth having looked at before it becomes an ache.
A chipped or worn edge
A minor chip on a front tooth, or an edge worn down over the years, can often be rebuilt with composite in a single visit — no crown needed at that size.
An older filling that's due for review
Fillings don't last forever. If an older restoration is leaking, cracked or stained, we'll assess it honestly and replace it only if it genuinely needs replacing.
Only an examination — sometimes with an X-ray — can confirm whether a tooth needs a filling. That's what a check-up is for, and we'll always show you what we're seeing.
What happens at a filling appointment?
Most composite fillings are finished in a single visit, usually well under an hour. Here's the shape of the appointment.
Numbing the area
The tooth and the gum around it are numbed with local anaesthetic so the appointment stays comfortable. If needles are the hard part for you, ask us about The Wand — a computer-controlled way of delivering anaesthetic.
Removing the decay
Only the damaged or decayed part of the tooth is removed. Composite bonds to healthy tooth structure, so the preparation stays as small as the job allows.
Layering the composite
The tooth-coloured resin is placed in thin layers, each set with a curing light. The shade is matched to the teeth around it before we begin.
Shaping & polishing
The filling is shaped to your bite and polished smooth. We check your bite together before you leave — you'll feel pressure during that check, and we adjust until it sits right.
Straight back to your day
You can usually eat once the numbness wears off. Some mild sensitivity to cold for a few days is common and settles on its own; if a bite feels high afterwards, a quick adjustment visit sorts it.
Why tooth-coloured composite rather than metal?
For most everyday fillings, composite resin is the material we reach for: it matches your natural tooth shade, bonds directly to the tooth, and keeps the preparation conservative. Amalgam (silver) fillings were the standard for decades and many are still going strong — if you have older metal fillings that are intact, there's usually no reason to disturb them.
If an older filling is failing, or you'd like a visible metal filling assessed for replacement, bring it up at your check-up. We'll look at the tooth underneath, talk through the trade-offs honestly, and only recommend replacement where it makes clinical sense.
For larger repairs — where a filling alone wouldn't hold up — the conversation shifts to onlays or crowns. We'll always explain which category your tooth is in, and why, before you decide anything.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Your dentist will confirm what's appropriate for your teeth at your appointment.
Composite fillings, answered plainly.
Let's catch it while it's small.
A check-up tells you exactly where things stand — and if a filling is needed, it's usually a single, unhurried visit. Book online or call and we'll guide you.