Filling/cavities?!

Filling/cavities?

i have a cavity. i am getting it filled tomorrow. does it hurt? what are they going to do to my teeth to fill it? any needled involved?

Nothing to worry about, as a dentist myself who has performed thousands of fillings I can tell you that this is one of the most common dental procedures. There is a needle involved, no matter how big or small your cavity is your dentist will give you an injection of Lidocaine in your gum to block the nerve from feeling any pain. Once your dentist and you are certain that your mouth has been "numbed up" he/she will begin the procedure which consists of having the cavity drilled out to remove any decay, and your tooth will then be filled. This will be completely painless for you, you may feel some pressure and pulling at times and will hear sounds from the dental drill but you will not feel pain. Once your tooth has been filled your injection will take approx. 2-3 hours to wear off depending on how much Lidocaine your dentist will use. After the injection wears off you may feel some minor discomfort and some stiffness, but taking over the counter Motrin and using a cold pack will help relieve any pain. Good luck and don't worry, just take a deep breath and relax and everything will be fine.