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Do dentists often give people fillings as a preventive measure?
I don’t have a cavity and I never have had one ever, but my new dentist wants to fill two teeth as a preventive measure. She said it looks like food could potentially get caught in those two teeth because they have deeper grooves and one day lead to a cavity.
Is it common for dentists to suggest filling otherwise healthy teeth? Should I got ahead with the procedure?
When you get a cavity they drill it and fill it with either resin or amalgam. I work in a dentist office and i’ve never heard of that.
ohjoy Says: February 5th, 2010 at 9:14 am
I’ve had it done before. It will probably save you time and money in the long run. But then again, there’s always the chance that you don’t get the fillings and your teeth never develop cavities. It’s really your decision.
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v1rag0 Says: February 5th, 2010 at 9:36 am
Well, there’s another thing called ’sealant’ that could be put on the teeth to protect them. A dentist might do this even if the enamel still looked okay. I had sealant put on when I was 12, it’s still intact, and I never got cavities on those teeth.
Your teeth may be healthy now, but remember she can see them better than you can and she’s probably looked in hundreds of mouths.
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ablex Says: February 5th, 2010 at 10:01 am
I’ve never heard of such a thing. It makes more sense to be particularly careful about brushing those teeth and watch for signs of decay. A sealent can also be applied.
I’d seek a second opinion, at least. It sounds fishy to me.
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Dental Commando Says: February 5th, 2010 at 10:14 am
It sounds like you are talking about fissure sealants. These are thin ‘fillings’ that are put on the biting surface of your molars/premolars to reduce the likelihood of decay in the grooves.
They’re a good idea and decrease the chance of decay in those fissures by a fair bit (I can’t remember the percentage) and don’t require drilling of the tooth they’re placed on.
I’ve had my 4 to 7s sealed in all four quadrants of the mouth. If you can afford it I would get them done. It can save money in the long run.
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dental student
docgobbler Says: February 5th, 2010 at 10:27 am
No, it’s NOT common to place a restoration as a preventive measure. What is common though, is to place a sealant in those grooves, which is what you should have there to prevent future caries.
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I am a DDS….over 35 years.
snowwhite Says: February 5th, 2010 at 11:17 am
When you get a cavity they drill it and fill it with either resin or amalgam. I work in a dentist office and i’ve never heard of that.
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