Posted on 12/19/2022 by Mountain State Oral and Facial Surgery
Many adults are walking around with old fillings in their mouths from childhood. Some of those fillings you got when you were younger maybe 30 or 40 years old now. You may be worried about those old fillings and whether they should be replaced or not. Here is some information you need to know about old dental fillings.
What Are Fillings?
When you get a cavity, it means that bacteria have gotten into your tooth enamel, and they are eating away at your tooth. A dentist drills the cavity out of your mouth and puts a filling in your tooth to protect it from further damage. Fillings used to be made of an amalgam that was colored silver. Now, fillings are usually made from a resin-glass mixture called composite.
Do Old Fillings Need to be Replaced?
The short answer is that it depends on each filling. Usually, fillings are perfectly safe to remain in your mouth for years. However, over time, older fillings may begin to chip or crack. This is not good for your teeth because it lets bacteria in under the filling. Over time, you could develop another cavity or even lose the tooth.
Luckily, damaged fillings are easy for a dentist to spot through x-rays and dental exams. If you are visiting the dentist regularly, they will be able to point out any fillings that need to be replaced. You don't have to replace a filling if it is old, only if it is damaged.
Due to there usually being six months in between routine dental visits, you should let the dentist know if you begin to experience issues with a tooth that has a filling on it. For example, if you begin to have pain in a tooth and you notice your filling looks broken or cracked, it's time to go in for a dental visit. By keeping an eye on your teeth, the dentist can tell you when you may need to upgrade those older fillings into shiny new fillings.
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Many adults are walking around with old fillings in their mouths from childhood. Some of those fillings you got when you were younger maybe 30 or 40 years old now. You may be worried about those old fillings and whether they should be replaced or not. Here is some information you need to know about old dental fillings. 