Good oral health is key to a beautiful smile. Healthy gums and pearly whites keep your smile fresh and vibrant. Dental restorations, or dental fillings, repair cavities and prevent tooth decay and tooth loss, playing a vital role in both natural tooth preservation and restoring your smile.
Your dental filling can last 5 to 15 years, with proper care and maintenance. Of course, the filling material used will also determine how long the filling will last. Fillings can be made from ceramic/porcelain, composite resin, silver amalgam, cast gold and glass ionomer (which releases fluoride). Composite resin fillings often last up to five years with proper care, while cast gold fillings can last longer than 15 years. Your dentist can help you find the best filling material for you. Location of the filling, cost, and durability all play a factor in which filling you may wish to choose.
Lost, Chipped, or Cracked Fillings
Did you know that your filling can fall out? Biting down too hard can cause a filling to come out, or if the filling wasn’t strong enough for the tooth (such as a large cavity), or if the filling didn’t bond to the tooth properly because saliva leaked into the cavity while it was being filled.
Any dental filling will wear down with time, and some may crack or chip. If you don’t fix cracked or chipped fillings and it leaks, food particles and bacteria can enter under the filling which you can’t clean, and bacteria will release acid leading to decay. You may not even know this is happening if you aren’t having any pain, so it can go on for a while and cause damage to the tooth. Regular dental checkups and cleanings will catch problems you may not be aware are happening. Also, we can spot the problem and fix it before it gets too invasive and requiring extensive intervention. Cracks may also arise if the filling is placed higher than the tooth’s surface, and may also erupt around the edges of a filling. If you are constantly clenching or grinding your teeth while you sleep (bruxism) this can also damage fillings.
Having restorations done to your teeth will keep your smile fresh and vibrant and cavity-free. Regular dental visits spot problems while they are in their early stages and requiring minimal repair. If you are having any problems with your dental fillings, or if it is time for your next checkup with one of our caring dentists, Dr. Paul Eberhard and Dr. Masoud Shoukoohi, you can reach our Mockingbird Dental Associates team in Cartersville, Georgia at 770-386-3908 today!