{"id":703,"date":"2023-03-04T19:04:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-04T19:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/?p=703"},"modified":"2023-04-24T19:05:37","modified_gmt":"2023-04-24T19:05:37","slug":"how-long-can-i-expect-a-dental-filling-to-protect-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/2023\/03\/how-long-can-i-expect-a-dental-filling-to-protect-me\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Can I Expect a Dental Filling to Protect Me?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"dentist<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Dental fillings<\/a> can be a lifesaver for people who are in serious pain, quickly patching up any cavities or decay that you\u2019re experiencing so that you can get back to the things that matter most to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If that\u2019s your goal, then you probably don\u2019t want to have to spend much time thinking about how long you can expect to keep your filling. However, everything needs to be replaced eventually, and your restorations are no different. If you\u2019re curious, here\u2019s how long you can expect any given filling to last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Long Do Fillings Last?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dental fillings are a remarkably versatile treatment, capable of using a wide variety of materials to repair damage in many different places. As a result, there\u2019s also a pretty wide variance in how long you can expect a dental filling to last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biggest variable is the material that your filling is made out of. The two most common materials are metal amalgam and tooth-colored composite resin; composite fillings last around 7-10 years, while amalgam fillings tend to endure for much longer, around 10-15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which Material Should I Use?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since the topic came up, it\u2019s worth briefly comparing these two materials. Amalgam fillings are the silvery fillings that you may be familiar with. They\u2019re inexpensive and, as was mentioned, very durable. However, they also expand and contract when exposed to extreme temperatures, which leads to uncomfortable tooth sensitivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Composite fillings are tooth colored, blend in perfectly with the rest of your tooth, and don\u2019t expand due to temperature. They\u2019re incredibly high-quality but don\u2019t last quite as long as amalgam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do I Know If My Filling Needs to be Replaced?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Eventually, your filling is bound to wear down or fall out, meaning that it will need to be replaced. Even if your filling doesn\u2019t completely come out of your mouth, you could start to notice the familiar stinging feeling that led you to see your dentist in the first place. If you do, you should call your dentist about an exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of, if you have a filling, it\u2019s even more important than usual to get regular checkups and cleanings. Your dentist will be able to use X-rays to see what\u2019s happening under the surface and ensure that your filling doesn\u2019t need to be replaced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Louis Olberding is a dentist who believes that the best dental care has two components: a sound diagnosis, and a solid treatment plan customized to every patient. That\u2019s why he takes time to understand his patients as individuals. Dr. Olberding received his DDS from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry, and since then has continued his learning with Spear Education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have any questions about dental fillings, he can be reached at his website<\/a> or by phone at (402) 488-2325.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dental fillings can be a lifesaver for people who are in serious pain, quickly patching up any cavities or decay that you\u2019re experiencing so that you can get back to the things that matter most to you. If that\u2019s your goal, then you probably don\u2019t want to have to spend much time thinking about how […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=703"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/703\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":705,"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/703\/revisions\/705"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}