We often get the question, why do my fillings need replacement? Unfortunately, dental fillings, like other tooth restorations, don't last forever and tend to wear and break down over time. When this happens, it allows bacteria back into the tooth, which can result in more damage.
For example, this patient had multiple fillings failing in different ways:
1. Broken filling on the second molar with decay underneath
2. New decay between the first and second molars
3. Poor contour on the second premolar, making it difficult to floss and keep clean
4. Acid erosion and a gap around the existing filling on the first premolar, no contact between the canine and first premolar trapping food
5. Open contact and an overhang on the canine trapping food
When food gets trapped between teeth or underneath a filling, keeping your teeth clean and bacteria-free is more difficult, increasing your chances of developing common problems like tooth decay and gum disease.
For this patient, we recommended new fillings where replacement was needed due to wear and breakdown. Then Dr. Appel recontoured the remaining fillings to make them easier to brush, floss, and maintain.
Hopefully, this patient will enjoy many more years of function from these fillings.
-
Before
After -
Before
After
Fantastic experience! Always up to the minute on new dental practices and technology. I was dreading the tooth extraction and dental implant. It wasn’t much worse than a teeth cleaning, in other word the apprehension was all for naught. And he can do procedures I previously had been referred out for. That’s a big plus in my book. I highly recommend Dr. Appel to anyone needing dental care.