Although dental work such as crowns and fillings last for many years, they may eventually fail. It's not uncommon to lose a filling when you bite down on something hard. If your filling breaks off or falls out, you want to get to the dentist as soon as you can. Here's why you want to seek help and what the dentist may do to repair your broken fillings:
Why You Should Repair A Damaged Filling Quickly
When your filling breaks, you may experience a toothache due to the exposure of your nerve to hot and cold temperatures. The pain will probably motivate you to see a dentist quickly. Sometimes, you can lose a filling and not experience pain. It might be easy to put off going to the dentist when you don't have a toothache, but you should still seek help as soon as possible.
Part of your enamel is removed to make room for the filling. When the filling is gone, your tooth isn't as stable as it should be. That means you can chip it more easily when you bite and chew. Plus, when your tooth isn't protected, it is at higher risk of developing an infection from decaying food bits and bacteria invading the inside of the tooth. You could develop a cavity or abscess that leads to a bad toothache that needs emergency treatment. Plus, if you don't have the filling repaired in a timely manner, your tooth could sustain damage that is expensive to treat and repair. You could even lose the tooth.
How Your Dentist Repairs A Broken Filling
Your dentist has to assess the situation. If the filling fell out because of additional tooth decay, you might need to have a crown if there is not enough healthy tooth left to hold onto the filling. The first step is to remove any of the filling that's left along with the decay. At the very least, you'll need a new filling put in. If you have an infection in your tooth, you might need a root canal and a crown. Your dentist might be able to put on a temporary crown or provide some other temporary treatment that keeps pain at bay until you can have the permanent dental work done.
While it's possible for a filling to break unexpectedly when you bite on hard candy, ice, or popcorn, there are often signs in advance of potential trouble. Your dentist can tell when an old filling is in danger and can recommend replacing it before problems develop. That's one reason regular dental visits are important. They reduce the risk that a broken filling will take you by surprise and cause you to face an expensive dental emergency.
Share2 September 2017
Being born with naturally soft teeth, I've spent a lot of time in and out of the dentist's office. Not only have I learned a lot about basic dental care, I've also discovered many tips for dealing with broken teeth, extractions, implants, and more. I decided that I wanted to make the most of my experience by sharing what I've learned with others. True first-hand experience is a great teacher, and I knew that my story could help. I created this site to do just that, and I hope that the information here helps you to understand what to expect from your dental problems.