A Missing Filling Needs Timely Treatment to Prevent Further Problems

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Dental fillings are frequently used by Dr. Gilbert Fernandez to repair a small area of decay or chip in a tooth. They are intended to replace the damaged area of tooth enamel with a small amount of gold, porcelain, amalgam, or composite resin.

With the passage of time and poor oral hygiene habits, the pervasive bacteria living in your mouth can exploit the connection that is bonding the filling to the surrounding healthy enamel. When this happens, it could potentially cause a new cavity within the tooth.

If a filling falls out, your tooth is at risk of further complications, so you should not delay in calling 505-898-8063 to seek treatment at our office.

If there is no new tooth decay in the void, your dentist might be able to remove a small amount of enamel and apply a new filling.

If the missing filling was large or a new area of decay has formed within the surrounding tooth enamel, there might not be enough healthy enamel remaining to anchor a filling. In a situation like this, your dentist will likely recommend restoring the tooth with a dental crown.

A crown is typically made from either porcelain, gold, or a base metal alloy. The material the dentist recommends will vary depending on the tooth’s primary function in your mouth and its visibility in your smile. Gold and base metal crowns are used primarily on back teeth as they are durable enough to handle the work of grinding tough foods. Porcelain crowns can be shaded to perfectly match the surrounding teeth in your smile.

If you’ve lost a dental filling in Albuquerque, New Mexico, you should call 505-898-8063 to have it treated at our office.