What to Watch Out for if You Suspect One of Your Fillings Is Going Bad

Here at Portland Dental our team of dentists commonly use fillings to repair small to modest sized cavities. Even though a filling is intended to last for a long time, it’s not unheard for the pervasive activity of bacteria to weaken the cement and cause a filling to slowly go bad.

Generally, the older and larger a filling is, the more likely it is to develop a problem. There are a few common symptoms to look out for if you suspect one of your fillings is going bad. Identifying a bad filling early, will greatly reduce your odds of suffering further complications.

A bad filling on the biting surface of the tooth might give you a sharp pain when biting down or chewing. At the same time, a lingual filling near your tongue, you might feel it develop an edge or a change in texture. If pervasive bacteria have worked their way between the filling and the healthy enamel of the tooth it might develop a light shade of gray in the nearby enamel.

A Portland Dental dentist might be able to simply replace the filling with a slightly larger one. If too much enamel has been compromised, they might recommend replacing the enamel layer of the tooth with a crown.

If you suspect one of your fillings is going bad, you should not delay in calling Portland Dental’s office in Portland, Oregon at 503-227-1693 to schedule an appointment.