Fillings, Dentists, and Dull Titles

So, as you can tell from the title, I just got back from the dentist having my first ever filling. Which I was expecting to hurt. Alot. Happily, it didn't! (That's not me trying to act hard, it really didn't hurt!) I was fairly suprised to discover, (having turned down anethestic because I was given the option to and have an 'unusual' fear of people sticking needles in my mouth) that the worse pain was a dull ache. I have a theory, everybody thinks fillings hurt because that's what their parents told them when they were little, and back then they probably did hurt, but now they don't.

Although I don't understand why they fill holes with a drill. Even if it's a very little drill, it doesn't seem to make sense...