1. When Should When Should A A Filling Be Replaced? Filling Be Replaced? The fast-paced lifestyle of today has people eating out of restaurants and high-carb street foods, ignoring the fact that such food can slowly and steadily destroy their health. One of the most visible victims of this lifestyle is our teeth. They decay with time, and the bacteria begins to slowly eat away at them. Eventually, large spaces and cavities form between the teeth. Such tooth issues can be resolved by the fillings of gold, silver, porcelain, a composite resin, an amalgam, etc. When a Chandler dentist performs a dental filling, they first remove the decayed tooth material, clean the affected part and then fill it in with the selected filling material. Depending on the type of filling, it can last a couple of years to multiple decades. But, when it is time to get it replaced, it is important that you do so. But, how to know when you need a replacement? Here’s how: A Broken Filling When a filling breaks for any reason, it leaves a gap behind. Then, the food begins to get stuck in this space and slowly causes damage of the tooth. Slowly and steadily, this damage leads to decay of the tooth and you will need to get a root canal treatment for securing the other teeth. Further, when you grind your teeth, the pressure exerted on the tooth can create, at times, a fracture to the tooth. The filling material may not be as strong as the actual tooth. And hence, some extra pressure on the tooth leads to the damage to the filling. When that happens, you should get in touch with your dentist to get a new filling. Recurrent Decay Recurrent decay occurs due to shrinkage in the filling. When the filling is done, there is some contraction in it and leaves a gap between the filling and the tooth. This gap allows food particles and saliva to enter the space and get lodged there for a long time. After time together, they cause significant decaying to the tooth. When you notice the slightest decay in your filled tooth, you should get the filling replaced so that it now fits into the cavity.

2. Poor Esthetics This is usually seen with the white or porcelain filling which people prefer for its ability to mimic the color of the tooth itself. But, it also attracts stains at a different rate than the tooth. Smoking, drinking coffee and tea, alcohol consumption, and so on, can cause a significant amount of staining. This filling takes up the color of any food substance that it regularly comes in contact with. Even when you try bleaching, only the real teeth are bleached and the filling retains its stains. So, when the staining has gotten very obvious, you might consider getting the filling replaced. To avoid frequent replacements, it is best to check with the dentist about which type of filling is best suited for your teeth. Some of them, like silver, do stay for a long time, but you may not like it on your front teeth. So, take everything into consideration while getting your teeth filled, so that you don’t need to get them replaced time and again.