While fillings are designed to repair a cavity or small dental fracture for many years to come, they are not impervious to the effects of poor oral hygiene and the passage of time. In general, the older and larger a filling is, the more likely it is to become distressed or fall out.
Sometimes, you can notice signs of a troubled filling, by heightened sensitivity, a change in color, or texture. However, there are other times when you are eating a meal and chewing gum, and the distressed filling comes out.
If the missing filling was large, or a new area of decay has formed within the surrounding tooth enamel, there might not be enough healthy enamel for the dentists at Hudson Dental Care’s Smyrna, Georgia clinic to apply a new filling. In a situation like this, our dentists will likely recommend restoring the tooth with a crown.
This will replace the entire tooth enamel layer in a material such as porcelain, gold, or a base metal alloy. The material the dentist recommends will vary depending on the tooth’s primary function in your mouth and its visibility in your smile. Gold and base metal crowns are used primarily on back teeth as they are durable enough to handle the work of grinding tough foods. Porcelain crowns can be shaded to perfectly match the surrounding teeth in your smile.
If you live in the Smyrna, Georgia area and you have a bad filling, you should call 770-438-1520 to seek timely professional care at Hudson Dental Care’s clinic.