Even though a filling is meant to last a long time, it’s not unheard of for one to fall out. Large fillings and old fillings are more likely to be lost. If you noticed that you are missing a filling, you should call Dr. Laurin Cardwell as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. The longer you wait to have it repaired the more likely the tooth is to have develop a more serious problem.
Sometimes you can spot a problematic filling before it is lost. If the filling is on the biting surface of a tooth you might notice a sharp pain when biting down or chewing. If a filling is on the lingual part of a tooth, near your tongue, you might feel it develop an edge or a change in texture. You might also notice a slight shade of gray in the nearby enamel.
Sometimes Dr. Laurin Cardwell can replace the lost filling by simply removing a little more enamel and cement a new, larger filling in its place.
If a large filling falls out there might not be enough enamel left to properly cement a new filling in place. If this is the case Dr. Laurin Cardwell will usually recommend that the entire enamel layer be replaced with a crown.
If you notice a problematic filling or you have just lost a filling please call Dr. Laurin Cardwell at 828-631-3567 to schedule an appointment.