DO MY FILLINGS NEED REPLACEMENT?

Fillings don’t last forever. Sometimes they need replacement due to regular wear and tear. While fillings protect your teeth from damage and decay, you will lose that protection when your filling wears down or falls out and without that protective layer, your tooth will be exposed to harmful bacteria and decay. So it’s important to recognize the signs that your tooth filling needs replacement to prevent further dental problems down the road.

Why Does My Filling Need to Be Replaced?

There are several reasons why your filling may need to be replaced over time. Most often, it is the result of daily wear and tears. As you chew, your filling is placed under a great deal of pressure. Over time, it can cause it to crack, leak, or fall out. If your filling no longer protects your tooth as it should, it can cause bacteria and tiny food particles to become trapped underneath it. You’ll need to have the filling replaced to prevent new decay.

What Affects The Longevity of My Fillings?

Outside of the initial how well your filling was placed by the dentist is one of the most significant determining factors. Secondly, good home care is critical as bacteria that sit on your tooth can lead to cavities forming near the filling edge.

Following these simple at-home routines can help keep your fillings doing their job for the long haul:

Brush twice a day.
Floss once a day.
Use an electric toothbrush for the best plaque removal.
Fluoride mouthwash rinse.

Signs that your tooth filling needs replacement:

Staining around your filling’s margins.
Open space between the filling margin and your tooth.
Food Lodgement in your filling.
Sensitivity – this could be too hot, cold, or biting pressure.
X-rays can also be a way to tell if your filling is leaking.
Cracks or fracture lines in your fillings.

When Doubt visit your Dentist

While having an old filling replaced may sound dreadful to you, it’s a simple, one-appointment process. You will likely be numbed in this area, so you are comfortable when the dentist removes your broken-down filling. Once the filling has been removed, the tooth is prepared to receive the new filling. Your dentist places your new filling, adjusts the height to ensure your bite is correct, and away you go!

Have you noticed any of the above signs in your teeth? Has it been a while since you have seen a dentist? Remember that most big problems start as minor ones pushed off for too long. Now is a great time to have your dental health evaluated. Visit Teeth Care Centre. feature-image_hu06803c77b1151109541c75d14266dc7d_4131186_1200x1200_fill_q100_box_smart1

Periodontal Disease

Periodontitis, also called gum disease, is a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue and, without treatment, can destroy the bone that supports your teeth. Periodontitis can cause teeth to loosen or lead to tooth loss.

What Causes Periodontitis?

Bacteria in the mouth infect tissue surrounding the tooth, causing inflammation around the tooth leading to periodontal disease. When bacteria stay on the teeth long enough, they form a film called plaque, which eventually hardens to tartar, also called calculus. Tartar build-up can spread below the gum line, which makes the teeth harder to clean. Then, only a dental health professional can remove the tartar and stop the periodontal disease process.

Other Factors can contribute to periodontal disease. These include:

Smoking
Diabetes
Poor oral hygiene
Stress
Heredity
Crooked teeth
Underlying immune-deficiencies—e.g., AIDS
Fillings that have become defective
Taking medications that cause dry mouth
Bridges that no longer fit properly
Female hormonal changes, such as with pregnancy or the use of oral contraceptives

Symptoms:

Healthy gums are firm and pale pink and fit snugly around teeth. Signs and symptoms of periodontitis can include:

Swollen or puffy gums.
Bright red, dusky red or purplish gums.
Gums that feel tender when touched.
Gums that bleed easily.
Pink-tinged toothbrush after brushing.
Spitting out blood when brushing or flossing your teeth.
Bad breath.
Pus between your teeth and gums.
Loose teeth or loss of teeth.
Painful chewing.
New spaces developing between your teeth.
Gums that pull away from your teeth (recede), making your teeth look longer than normal.
A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite.

When to see a dentist?

Follow your dentist’s recommended schedule for regular check-ups. If you notice any symptoms of periodontitis, make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. The sooner you seek care, the better your chances of reversing damage from periodontitis.

We at Teeth Care Centre have the best Periodontist in Ahmedabad who are well experienced and aim to provide quality treatments. We use equipment from most eminent brands which render excellent results. We even perform Laser using BIOLASE which is one of the best brands in the world.

Inlays and Onlays

You have probably been advised by your dentist to get a crown or a filling to cover up your dental decay or cavities. However, you may not have heard of some other options, like dental onlays and inlays. Usually, fillings are used to fill in small cavities, while crowns are used when the decay is deeper or if there is a larger fracture to be covered up. However, there may be situations when a filling is not enough, and a crown is too much to protect dental decay. Dental inlays and onlays are what many dental professionals will then use if they need something “just right” to fill in those gaps. They are more substantial than fillings, but not as intrusive as a crown.

What is the difference between Inlays and Onlays?

In dentistry, onlays and inlays are regarded as “Indirect Fillings” meaning that they are placed outside the mouth as a solid piece that fits the particular shape and size of the cavity.

At their most basic definitions, an inlay fills in cavities and hollows in a tooth in the areas between the cusps. An onlay will not just fill in cavities in those spaces, but they can work for a larger area, including the cusps. They work similarly to crowns, but they do not cover the entire surface of the tooth. They are both made from the same materials, and they both serve the same function, but they cover different areas of the tooth to properly protect when there is tooth decay.

Based on the nature of material used in their fabrication, inlays can either be gold type, porcelain type, composite type and zirconium type. Porcelain, zirconium and composite inlays are much more aesthetically appealing than the gold ones due to their close resemblance to the natural tooth colour.

Inlays and onlays do not require removal of healthy portion of tooth and thus helps in preservation of natural tooth structure. Porcelain and zirconium inlays do not change colour over time and are aesthetically appealing. Margins of both inlays and onlays are kept minimal which makes them easier to clean and further help in maintaining proper oral hygiene. Moreover they restore and strengthen the damaged tooth.

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Teeth Care Centre® is known to incorporate latest dental technologies in clinic and therefore we use the latest CAD/CAM technology to design and fabricate a custom inlay or onlay. This means you can leave the dental office with fully aesthetically restored tooth.