Fillings
To treat a cavity the dentist removes the decayed portion of the tooth and then "fills" the area on the tooth where the decayed material once lived.

Fillings are also used to repair cracked or broken teeth and teeth that have been worn down from misuse (such as from nail-biting or tooth grinding).  White fillings are an attractive, durable alternative to silver (amalgam) fillings and are made of a strong composite resin that will match your natural tooth color.

Inlays & Onlays
In addition to fillings, lab fabricated inlays and onlays are sometimes used.  Although many patients think of these as fillings as well, they are actually different since they are laboratory fabricated.  These are recommended when the cavity is too big for a filling, but isn't so big that a crown is required.

For more information, please visit:

Web MD:
- Fillings A to Z