The average lifespan of a tooth-colored dental filling can be 10 years, on average; however, much of this depends on how well you take care of your custom restoration. Your lifestyle habits, diet, and oral hygiene routine can lengthen or shorten how long your tooth experiences greater protection. Naturally, the investment required for this type of restorative care is one you want to make the most of, but what should you do if your filling falls out?
What Can Cause a Dental Filling to Fall Out?
As nice as it would be for dental fillings to last forever, they do not, so if one falls out, it doesn’t have to be a panic-filled experience. While it’s normal to be shocked that your tooth is no longer properly protected, the problem can be fixed.
But we discuss what steps you can take before meeting with your dentist, it’s important to know what can cause a dental filling to fall out. Some of the most common reasons include:
- Poor oral hygiene
- Biting down on a hard piece of food or object
- Teeth grinding (bruxism)
- Facial trauma
- Aggressive chewing
What Steps Are Necessary When a Filling Falls Out?
You’ll want to start by calling your dentist’s office to alert a member of their team to your situation. By explaining what happened, they can find a time for you to come in and have someone examine the tooth (and restoration if you have it).
If you are in pain, they may be able to see you on the same day. If you’re not, they may suggest that you come in within 1-2 days for treatment.
While at home, feel free to mix ½ teaspoon of salt with warm water and gargle. This will decrease any discomfort and keep the area clean of bad bacteria. You can continue to practice your normal oral hygiene routine; however, you’ll need to be gentle when cleaning around the affected tooth.
If possible, try to avoid chewing on the side of your mouth with the lost filling, and if necessary, use dental wax or a temporary filling solution to protect your tooth while waiting to see your dentist.
What Can a Dentist Do to Fix a Lost Dental Filling?
When meeting with your emergency dentist, you should plan to bring your restoration with you to your appointment if you have it. If not, that is fine.
After examining the tooth, they will likely have to replace it so that the tooth remains completely protected. This process requires only a single appointment, so you won’t need to worry about a prolonged visit.
While losing a dental filling is never an ideal situation, it’s also not something that should cause you to panic. By remaining level-headed and aware of the appropriate steps, you and your dentist can work toward repairing your smile in no time at all.
About the Authors
Dr. Aaron Swingdorf is an emergency dentist who understands that even a lost dental filling can be nerve-wracking for many patients. Although the solution requires only a single visit to our dental office, we want patients to feel confident in being able to manage the situation until they can get in to see us. If you are faced with this kind of situation and need help, don’t hesitate to contact us at (952) 448-4151 or visit our website.
We used the following sources to generate this particular blog article, some of which include:
