Every dentist I've ever met would like his patient's fillings to last forever. However, while a good many restorations do sustain for the life of the tooth, no filling ever becomes an organic, integral part of it. Thus none CAN be guaranteed to last indefinitely.

Even a filling placed with the best intentions and preparation can fail for a variety of reasons. If there is not enough of an undercut in the remaining tooth structure, the filling can fall out. Occasionally a part of the tooth around the filling will break, loosening the lock, and the filling will fall out. If decay somehow recurs, the filling may become surrounded by decay, loosen and fall out. It should also be noted that, the larger the filling, the greater risk of fracture from chewing forces.

What can you do when a filling does fall out? First, rinse your mouth carefully with lukewarm water to make sure the cavity is clean. If there is discomfort, a drop of oil of cloves on a piece of cotton will lessen it. See your dentist as soon as possible and have the filling replaced.

Presented in the interest of promoting a better dental health environment from the office of: Frank Soltiz, DDS 13367 Broadway Alden, New York 14004 937-7812