What Do I Do If My Filling Falls Out?

A relatively common problem among people that have fillings and crowns, is that their filling falls out. Often times people do not know "what to do when my filling falls out?" In this situation, we suggest calling our office. In the meantime, here is what you should know.

Sometimes fillings and crowns can loosen and fall out because of a variety of factors. Fillings can fall out because:

• The decay continues to develop in the tooth, widening the cavity, to where the filling no longer fits properly
• The tooth experiences some level of trauma which can loosen the filling and causes it to fall out
• There is pressure from adjacent teeth, which ultimately leads to the filling loosens because the positioning of the tooth itself changes
• The shape of the tooth changes due to decay, movement or gum disease leading to a filling that no longer fits tightly and can fall out

Steps to take when a filling falls out

The first and most important thing to do when a filling falls out is not to panic. Typically this will happen when a person is eating or biting down on something hard, and then they discover that the filling, or the crown, has become loose or has fallen out. It is also common for people to feel the lost filling floating around in their mouth. There is a chance that a person whose filling has fallen out, will experience some level of sensitivity to pressure, air, or hot and cold temperature. This is because the tooth tissue, which was protected under the filling has become exposed.

If there is some level of sensitivity, it is recommended that the patient applies a little clove oil with a cotton swab to the sensitive area. This is only if the sensitive area is easy to reach. Clove oil works very well to dull tooth pain and can be easily obtained at a pharmacy or in the spice section of many supermarkets. There are any number of products, easily available, that can help to numb the sensitivity in the area where the filling has been lost.

Make an appointment

The next step is to make sure to contact the dentist as soon as possible. It is crucial to ensure that we replace a broken or missing filling as soon as possible. If we do not replace the filling soon, then there is a greater chance for the cavity to enlarge or for the infection to spread further. Ignoring a filling that has fallen out can even lead to a loss of the tooth without the necessary treatment from a professional. When calling to schedule this appointment, it is critically important to let the dental office know about the lost filling.

Once the staff at our dental office knows that a patient has lost a filling, they will do everything within their abilities to treat it. The best thing that can happen, is to replace the filling as quickly as possible in order to avoid any further complications. If you have a filling that has fallen out, give us a call today.