The initial visit also involves getting your medical history. When you share your medical history, be sure to provide complete, up-to-date information on your health. Inform the doctors if you have experienced recent hospitalization or surgery, or if you have recently been ill. Also tell us the names, doses, and frequency of any medications you are taking — whether prescription or over-the-counter products — and the name of your physician. Inform the doctors of any changes in your health or medications. This information will help the doctors select the safest and most effective method of treatment for you.

The ultimate decision about what to use is best determined in consultation with your doctor. Before your treatment begins, discuss the options with Dr. Jeffrey Cho. To help you prepare for this discussion it is helpful to understand the two basic types of dental fillings: direct and indirect.

We encourage regular checkups for individuals age four and up. Most people find that it is valuable to have a checkup at least every six months so the doctors can:

• The components used in the filling material
• The amount of tooth structure remaining
• Where and how the filling is placed
• The chewing load that the tooth will have to bear
• The length and number of visits needed to prepare and adjust the restored tooth