About Dental Fillings:

A filling is a way to restore a tooth damaged by decay back to its normal function and shape. 

When a dentist gives you a filling, he or she first removes the decayed tooth material, cleans the affected area, and then fills the cleaned out cavity with a filling material.

By closing off spaces where bacteria can enter, a filling also helps prevent further decay. 

Why Replace a Filling?

Fillings don’t last forever. They can become discoloured. Composite, tooth-coloured fillings pick up stains, and yellow or darken over time. When you chew, your teeth and any fillings in them are subjected to tremendous pressures. Even if no other problems develop, some fillings will wear out over time and will need to be replaced. A filling will need to be replaced earlier if it falls out, leaks or cracks.

Bacteria and bits of food can seep down under a filling that is cracked or leaking. Since you can’t clean there, the bacteria feed on the bits of food and form the acid that causes tooth decay. 

Decay under a filling can become extensive before you notice it or it causes you pain. This reason is why you should have your fillings checked regularly and get them replaced when you encounter problems.

If decay or a fracture has damaged a large portion of the tooth, a crown, or cap, may be recommended. 

Decay that has reached the nerve may be treated in a few possible ways: through root canal therapy (in which nerve damaged nerve is removed) etc.