Why fill a cavity early
Decay keeps growing if it's left. While a cavity is small, a filling is enough. Once it reaches the pulp (the soft centre of the tooth), a filling won't fix it. The tooth then usually needs root canal treatment.
Regular check-ups are the best way to find decay while it is still small.
Filling materials
Direct fillings are placed in a single visit. Indirect fillings, such as inlays and onlays, are made outside the mouth and usually take two visits. The main materials are:
- Composite resin: tooth-coloured, hardened with a curing light
- Amalgam: silver-coloured, a mix of mercury, silver, tin and copper
- Glass ionomer: tooth-coloured
- Gold: used for indirect fillings
- Porcelain: tooth-coloured, used for indirect fillings
Fillings can last 10 to 20 years, depending on the material and how well the tooth is looked after. We'll tell you which material suits the tooth, and why, before we start.
How our dentists manage it
How we manage your dental fillings
Find decay early
We look for decay at every check-up and take an X-ray when we need one, so cavities are filled while they are small.
Remove only what has to go
We take out the decayed part and keep as much healthy tooth as we can. A small filling now beats a crown later.
Choose the material with you
We explain which material suits the tooth and why, and what it costs, before we start.
Check your bite before you leave
We check how the tooth meets the others. If it feels high or uncomfortable later, come back and we'll adjust it.
How a filling is done
- 01The tooth is numbed with a local anaesthetic.
- 02The decayed or damaged part of the tooth is removed.
- 03The filling material is placed. A composite filling is hardened with a curing light.
- 04The filling is smoothed and polished.
- 05Your bite is checked so the tooth meets the others properly.
After a filling
You can go back to your normal day straight away. Wait until the numbness has worn off before eating, so you don't bite your cheek or tongue.
Sensitivity to hot and cold for a week or two is normal, and over-the-counter painkillers help. If the tooth hurts when you bite, the filling may need reshaping. A throbbing ache can mean the pulp has been affected, so call us if that happens.
White or silver fillings?
Tooth-coloured composite fillings blend in with your teeth and are hardened with a curing light in the same visit. Amalgam, the silver-coloured option, is a mix of mercury, silver, tin and copper. Both are direct fillings placed in one visit.
Where a larger part of the tooth is missing, an inlay or onlay can fit better. These are indirect fillings made from gold or porcelain, and they take two visits. If too much tooth is lost for any filling, a crown protects what is left.
Who treats you
Dental Fillings at Dental Plus
Our approach to fillings is simple: treat decay while it's small, and keep as much of your own tooth as we can.
Fillings are part of general dentistry at Dental Plus. Patients have written about having fillings done by Dr Ahmad Mahmood, whose qualifications include an MDS in Endodontics and Restorative Dentistry.
Lead ConsultantDr Ahmad MahmoodBDS, MDS Endodontics and Restorative Dentistry, C-ImplantologyRoot canals, including re-treating ones that have failed, restorative work and dental implants.
I underwent scaling, polishing, and a dental filling, all of which were painless and comfortable.”
RCT, Fillings and scaling all done pain free and upto the mark.”Read more Dental Plus patient reviews
Common questions about dental fillings
How long does a filling last?
Usually 10 to 20 years, depending on the material and how well the tooth is looked after.
Can I eat after a filling?
Yes, but wait until the numbness wears off so you don't bite your cheek or tongue.
Why is my tooth sensitive after a filling?
Some sensitivity for one to two weeks is normal. Pain when biting usually means the filling needs adjusting, and a throbbing ache should be checked, so call us.
What happens if I leave a cavity?
It keeps growing. Once it reaches the pulp, a filling will no longer fix it, and the tooth will usually need root canal treatment.
Are white fillings as long-lasting as silver ones?
Both can last many years. Fillings usually last 10 to 20 years, depending on the material and how well you look after the tooth. Ask us which material suits yours.
Guides on this topic
- Tooth Decay: Signs, Stages, Treatment and PreventionHow tooth decay starts, the signs to look for, how treatment changes as it gets deeper (fluoride, fillings, root canal), and how to prevent it.
- Sensitive Teeth: Causes, Treatment and When to WorryWhy teeth become sensitive to cold, hot or sweet food, what desensitising toothpaste can do, and the treatments a dentist offers when it does not settle.
Related treatments
- Root Canal TreatmentTreating an infected nerve so you can keep the tooth.
- Crowns & BridgesCaps that protect damaged teeth, and bridges that fill gaps.
- Children's DentistryFirst visits, fluoride, fissure sealants and calm check-ups for children.
- Veneers & BondingFixing chips, gaps, stains and shape with bonding or veneers.
How this guide was made
Dental Plus, a family dental clinic in Bahria Town, Rawalpindi, publishes this guide. It was drafted with the help of AI writing tools. Every medical statement was then checked against the sources below, last on 6 October 2026. What we say about our own clinic, our dentists and how we treat patients comes from the clinic. Patient quotes are copied word for word from Google reviews.
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. For advice about your own teeth, book an examination.