Giving definite and accurate answers in dentistry is hard. There are so many variables to take into account that when someone asks me a question like, "How long will my filling last?" it's almost impossible to give a good answer. The real answer is...it depends. It depends on how big the filling is, how much decay was in the tooth before the filling was put in, and how well you are taking care of that filling. In general, a small filling will last longer than a large filling. So getting cavities fixed when they are very small means the filling will probably last a lot longer than waiting until the cavity gets very large and you need a large filling.
One of the most common reasons that fillings need to be replaced is getting a cavity underneath an old filling. This can happen if food and plaque is not getting cleaned off the tooth and filling regularly, or you have a lot of sugar in your diet. This causes the decay to start forming again and in dental jargon it's called recurrent decay. Today's video goes into more detail about how long fillings last and why sometimes a filling is not the best option.
31 янв 2017
