Tooth-coloured fillings in Bacchus Marsh, while the fix is still small.
A composite filling is a tooth-coloured repair for a cavity, chip or worn edge, usually done in one visit. The resin is matched to your tooth shade and bonded in place, so it blends in and protects the tooth from further decay. At our Gisborne Road clinic the tooth is always numbed first.
We show you what we see, and explain what we suggest, before anything happens.
What is a composite filling?
A composite filling is a tooth-coloured resin used to repair a tooth damaged by decay, a chip or wear. Your dentist removes the damaged part, builds the resin up in layers, hardens each layer with a curing light, then shapes and polishes it so it looks and feels like your own tooth, all in one appointment.
Because composite bonds directly to the tooth, only the damaged part needs to be removed, which keeps more of your natural tooth. The shade is matched to the teeth around it, so the filling is hard to spot.
Fillings work best when the tooth still has most of its natural structure, which is why it pays to treat decay early. A small cavity now is a short, simple visit. Left alone, decay keeps spreading towards the nerve, and the fix can become a root canal or a crown instead. Untreated decay is common: in 2017–18, around 1 in 3 Australian adults with their own teeth (32%) had at least one tooth with untreated decay, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (report updated August 2026).
Fillings are part of our general dentistry in Bacchus Marsh. To keep filled teeth healthy, read about Airflow cleaning and, where gums need it, deep cleaning.
When might a tooth need a filling?
Decay doesn't always hurt at first, which is why regular check-ups matter. Adults who usually saw a dentist for a problem were nearly twice as likely to have untreated decay as those who went for check-ups (44% compared with 24%), according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. These are the most common reasons for a filling.
A cavity found at your check-up
Most fillings start here: a small area of decay seen during an examination or on an X-ray, before it causes any symptoms. Treating it early keeps it a small job.
Sensitivity to sweet or cold
A tooth that twinges with cold drinks or sweet food may have early decay or worn enamel. It's worth checking before it turns into an ache.
A chipped or worn edge
A small chip on a front tooth, or an edge worn down over the years, can often be rebuilt with composite in one visit, without needing a crown.
An old filling that needs checking
Fillings don't last forever. If an older filling is leaking, cracked or stained, we'll assess it and replace it only if it really 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 show you what we're seeing.
What happens at a filling appointment?
Most composite fillings are finished in one visit, usually well under an hour. This is how the appointment goes.
Numbing the tooth
The tooth and nearby gum are numbed with local anaesthetic. If needles are the hard part for you, ask about The Wand, which delivers anaesthetic slowly under computer control.
Removing the decay
Only the decayed or damaged part of the tooth is removed. Composite bonds to healthy tooth, so the preparation stays as small as possible.
Building up the composite
The tooth-coloured resin is placed in thin layers and each is hardened with a curing light. We match the shade to your teeth before we start.
Shaping & polishing
The filling is shaped to your bite and polished smooth. We check your bite with you and adjust until it feels right.
Back to your day
You can eat once the numbness wears off. Mild sensitivity to cold for a few days is common and settles. If your bite feels high afterwards, a quick adjustment fixes it.
Why tooth-coloured composite rather than metal?
For most everyday fillings we use tooth-coloured composite, because it matches your natural shade, bonds to the tooth and lets us keep more of the tooth. Amalgam (silver) fillings were standard for decades and many are still sound. If your old metal fillings are intact, there's usually no reason to replace them.
If an older filling is failing, or you'd like a visible metal filling assessed, mention it at your check-up. Your dentist will assess the tooth, explain the pros and cons, and only recommend replacement where it makes clinical sense.
When a tooth has lost too much structure for a filling to hold, the options move to an onlay or a crown. We'll explain which applies to your tooth, and why, before you decide.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Your dentist will confirm what's appropriate for your teeth at your appointment.
Filling questions, answered.
Let's catch it while it's small.
A check-up shows exactly where things stand, and if you need a filling it's usually one relaxed visit. Book online or call our Bacchus Marsh clinic.