Maintenance is key!

We see many patients who have wonderful oral hygiene, who have seen their dentist regularly, and for the past several years have attended their check ups and been told ‘ keep up the great work – we’ll see you in six months’!. So it comes as a surprise to these diligent patients when at their next check up they’re told that they need to start replacing their old fillings – it’s especially a surprise when these fillings are not causing any pain or discomfort!

These fillings are amalgam fillings, and many have been in place for over 10 years and have served the patient well during this time. However, amalgam fillings have a limited lifespan. Unlike composite resin fillings which are chemically bonded to your teeth, an amalgam filling is packed into an area of your tooth, much like a filling in a pothole. Over time, these fillings will start to wear away, exposing spaces where bacteria can sneak in and start causing tooth decay.

If a filling wears out, it can potentially allow decay to get into your tooth, which is why replacement over a period of time is recommended. This can then prevent bacteria getting into the deeper tooth structures such as the roots causing more significant damage to the tooth resulting in root canal or even tooth loss.

Much like a house, your teeth are exposed to many different environmental factors that over time can cause teeth and even fillings to deteriorate. Just like a house needs painting after a period of time, so too do your fillings require maintenance and replacement to ensure they’re still able to continue to protect your teeth. 

We pride ourselves on preventative dentistry at Dental on Cambridge, so when you attend your 6 monthly examination and cleans our dentists will talk to you about immediate needs (if any) and future concerns that might arise such as watching previous fillings for signs of deterioration. This means, you are well informed about your oral health now and into the future and we can plan together the best way to continue to protect your greatest asset – your beautiful smile that’s also a healthy one!