This is a question people wonder about all the time. They go to a dentist, and the dentist recommends one or more of their fillings be replaced. Since they are not hurting or bothering their mouth, then why replace them?
Most likely as a child your dentist said you had a cavity. When cavities are fixed, the dentist will first drill a hole in your tooth. Dentists can’t leave teeth with holes in them, so they “fill” the hole with a filling. The filling’s only purpose is to fill up the hole, and seal it off so bacteria can’t get to the inside of the tooth.
How Long Is A Filling Suppose To Last?
Fillings usually last a long time, sometimes more than 10-20 years! At some point in time, the filling looses its “seal”. Just like a cork in a wine bottle. When the cork is no longer sealing out the air, the wine spoils. Similarly, when a filling is no longer sealed, a tiny, microscopic gap forms between the tooth and the filling.
Bacteria Will Now Destroy The Tooth
As an adult, are probably an awesome brusher and flosser. You are keeping your teeth very clean, but no matter how well you brush and floss, you’ll never clean the bacteria out of those tiny gaps.
Well, as you may guess, those bacteria will begin eating away the tooth, only now they are eating away the tooth from the inside out. As these bacteria begin destroying the tooth from the inside out, the tooth will get very weak and begin to crack.
But There Is No Discomfort
Believe it or not, at this stage of the “life of a filling” there is usually no pain or discomfort associated with the tooth.
A person who is not proactive with their dental health will unknowingly allow the destruction to continue. The new cavity will grow, the tooth will get weaker, and finally the tooth will break and/or become painful. This is the stage where many people find out about their problem. Only now what started out as a very small problem, has ballooned into a major dental problem.
The Good News
This process can be avoided. If a person is seeing a proactive dentist, who will take the time to show their patient these problems when they are in their early stages, will avoid these major dental problems. If you are interested in being proactive with your dental health, make sure to call (912) 234-8282 today for an appointment with a dentist at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry.
