“What happens if you get a cavity under a filling?”
I am a 33 year old male. I want to know what happens if you get a cavity under a filling?
9 Answers
the cavity is essentially breaking down your natural tooth and causing tooth rot. The filling can come loose or break out as the decay softens all the teeth around the filling. The cavity tends to make its way to the center of the tooth where the nerves are. This is when patients tend to feel pain.
Your dentist can tell you how deep the decay under the filling appears based on an x-ray under most circumstances. If the pulp (nerve) of the tooth is infected from the bacteria in the decay, even if you have no symptoms, the tooth may need to be treated with a root canal.
If you get a cavity underneath an existing filling, it can continue to grow underneath the filling. When this happens you will need to have other treatment, such as removing the filling (and decay) and replacing it with a larger filling. If the cavity gets too close to your nerve, you may need additional treatment such as a root canal.
Gotta get the filling replaced
Depending on the size, if left untreated, it can end up growing larger and hit the nerve and end up with a root canal.
Decay needs to be removed and the resulting cavity restored. Sometimes this means removing the filling as well in order to reach the decay. If the decay is left, it will get larger and larger making the remaining tooth weaker and weaker. The book: GROWING A HEALTHY CHILD, SECRETS FROM A WISE OLD DOC, has the best information to prevent new decay. It would be worth your time to study the book. Teeth are important. I am glad you want to care for yours. The book is a must read if you are still getting new decay.
Most patients think that once you have had a filling, the tooth will remain healthy forever. Sadly, that isn’t the case. Old fillings will eventually crack and break. If you have a chipped amalgam filling, food particles and bacteria will seep into the healthy part of the tooth. Once that happens, new decay will form. It is impossible to brush or floss under old fillings so once the debris is there, it is there for good.
The filling needs to be replaced and decay removed.
Yes, getting a cavity under an existing filling is common. The old restoration is removed and the new decay and a new one is placed. Fillings are never as good as your original tooth structure. They wear out and have to be replaced.
