How long are fillings meant to last?

I have just been to a dentist and they have told me that one of my fillings needs replacing because it is breaking up. From memory this filling is only 2-3 years old should this be happening? Could it be a fault of the dentist who originally put the filling in?

How long are fillings meant to last?
Unfortunately.. no set time.. sometimes 20 years or less probably.. Much depends on a) how well they were put in; and b) how well you tdake care of your teeth
Reply:Depends on the type of filling. Fillings are usually to cover up the cavity so that it doesnt get bigger. You have to be careful with them but the quality has been getting progressively better. Sometimes they use a foil looking substance thats placed over the tooth, but this can be damaged or even removed if chewing gum a lot for example. Now, a sealant has been developed that covers the tooth with an enamel-like substance and is much stronger that the previous fillings. With both however, they could be damaged w/o proper care of the tooth. While the dentist might not have properly applied it, its more likely that it has just worn out
Reply:You may have done something to damage that tooth or perhaps were not brushing and flossing as you should.
Reply:I have some fillings that are 20 years old. They are worn down but my dentist said basically if it isn't cracked or hurting don't mess with it. You might get more problems! 2-3 years doesn't sound very old at all.
Reply:Since I don't know what type of material that was used (amalgam or composite) I can't tell you why it needs to be replaced this soon.





On average, a metal-amalgam filling lasts about 5-10 yrs. and a composite-tooth colored lasts about 7-12 yrs. Since every mouth is different, every situation is different. You could put the exact same type of filling in the exact same tooth on two different patients, and on one it would last 10 yrs. and on the other it would only last 3-4 yrs. WHY???? Well, on a person who has a high sugar intake, such as drinking 2-3 sodas a day, eating alot of candy or sweets and not brushing 3 times a day, a filling wouldn't hold up as long, because there is still real tooth structure surrounding the filling and it can still decay. On a person who took excellent care of their teeth, a filling could last many more years.





Also, if someone grinds or cleches their teeth, it can crack and chip fillings.





So, no, I don't feel that it is the fault of the dentist who put it in. A dentist cant control someones home care or habits such as grinding.
Reply:Chances are the filling was done "inside" another filling to patch things up 2-3 years ago. Often, a filling can last 20 years or more, but that's only the original filling. Once you start trying to perform miracles with filling material that it was not meant to fulfill, they don't last nearlt as long.





Or, perhaps the filling your dentist did was on that same tooth and it's still there, but another piece of the tooth or the old filling came out.