Fillings and root canal treatment in Lugano and Bellinzona

Treating decay

Tooth decay (caries) is one of the most widespread diseases there is. It is caused by plaque bacteria that feed on sugars and produce acids that dissolve the enamel. In its early stages it is completely painless — which is exactly why it is so often found only at a check-up. Caught early, it is resolved with a simple filling; left alone, it can reach the nerve and call for more involved treatment. That is why the annual check-up matters so much.

Tooth-coloured fillings

We use the latest generation of composite materials, matched precisely to the shade of your tooth, so the restoration is strong and invisible. Adhesive techniques allow us to remove only the decayed tissue and keep as much healthy tooth as possible. Old grey amalgam fillings can be replaced with tooth-coloured materials on request, even for purely cosmetic reasons.

Ceramic inlays

When a cavity is too large for a direct filling but the tooth is not damaged enough to need a crown, the middle ground is an inlay: a restoration in ceramic or composite, custom-made in the laboratory and bonded into the tooth. It is stronger than a large filling, protects the remaining walls of the tooth and lasts very well.

Root canal treatment under the microscope

When decay reaches the nerve, root canal treatment is needed: the infected pulp is removed, the root canals are cleaned, disinfected and sealed, and the tooth can be kept for many years. At SD, endodontics is led by Med. dent. Yves Jacot-Descombes, who holds a Master's in Clinical and Surgical Microendodontics from the University of Turin and carries out root canal treatments and re-treatments under a ZEISS operating microscope. The magnification reveals and allows us to treat canals that are invisible to the naked eye, greatly improving the chances of saving the tooth. Using the same technique he also treats root resorption — lesions that erode the root from inside or outside and which, caught in time, can be halted — and performs surgical endodontics (apicectomy): when infection persists at the tip of the root despite root canal treatment, the tip is removed and sealed surgically, avoiding extraction. He practises at our Bellinzona practice.

Rebuilding damaged teeth

Chipped, fractured or badly damaged teeth are rebuilt with modern adhesive techniques, often in a single appointment. A root-treated tooth is more brittle and is normally protected with a restoration that guards against fracture. Where a direct build-up is not enough, we discuss inlays or crowns with you — see our crowns, bridges and dentures page.

Who looks after you

At our Lugano practice, restorative dentistry is in the hands of Dr Alessandro Campiotti — meet the team; at our Bellinzona practice, of Med. dent. Stefano Gambaro and Med. dent. Yves Jacot-Descombes, who also provides microscope endodontics.

Prevention beats treatment

The best filling is the one you never need. An annual check-up, regular professional hygiene and a sensible approach to sugar dramatically reduce the risk of decay. For every treatment, you receive a clear estimate before we begin.

Frequently asked questions