Broken Fillings? Here's How to Fix (And Prevent) Them

Cavities are extremely common, as are their dental fix: fillings. Statistics show that over 90% of adults have had at least one filling in their lifetime. And, if you got yours a while ago, there’s a good chance you’ll need another one eventually.

But fillings aren’t forever. How long they last depends on the quality of the material they’re made of and how well you care for your teeth. Sometimes, these dentistry solutions break, and when they do, it can be painful.

This article contains all you need to know to take care of your fillings, including what to do if you suspect a broken filling and how to keep yours in tip-top shape.

Signs of a Problematic Filling

Sometimes, the answer is painfully obvious — you found the metal or composite chunk in your food when you were chewing. Other times, though, your filling is loose or chipped, and you want to catch this problem early before the chewing scenario comes to pass. 

As a general rule, healthy teeth don’t hurt when you chew. Once you have a filling for a few days, these dental restorations feel just like your natural tooth. Still, fillings aren’t designed to last forever. 

You might have a broken dental filling if you notice signs like:

• A sharp pain when you’re chewing (similar to what you may have felt when you had the cavity that caused the filling in the first place)
• Rough or sharp edges around the tooth structure with the filling
• Food that consistently gets stuck in one spot
• Temperature sensitivity when enjoying hot and cold foods/drinks
• Visible cracks or missing pieces of the broken tooth
• Bad breath that might indicate a bacterial infection or decay under damaged teeth

If any of these signs exist, call your dentist for recommendations! 

Even if you don’t feel any pain right now, there’s a good (or great) possibility that you will soon. Left untreated, broken fillings often lead to more decay and, eventually, root canals or tooth loss.

Why Dental Fillings Break

Dental fillings have been part of dentistry for thousands of years, with the first known filling dating back to the Ice Age! Over millennia, we’ve learned a great deal about the materials that make the best fillings, but this knowledge has evolved significantly over the past few decades as well. 

Depending on how old you were when you got your fillings, they could be made of material that is now degrading.

Here are a few of the main reasons why dental fillings break:

Time

The most common types of dental filling materials in the late 20th and early 21st centuries were amalgam ("silver") and composite resin. Amalgam fillings were popular because they were affordable and long-lasting, but they weren’t intended to last more than 10-15 years. Many adults today find their fillings breaking simply because the amalgam has outlasted its lifespan.

Composite fillings were also popular because they could be fabricated to match the color of the natural teeth. Made of acrylic and powdered glass or quartz, these were more aesthetically pleasing but had a limited lifespan, lasting only 5 to 10 years. 

Today’s fillings use:

• Composite resin
• Ceramic (highly durable porcelain)
• Glass ionomer (silica glass powder)

Each material has its advantages and disadvantages, as well as a limited lifespan. If time has passed and you have cracked fillings, your dentist may suggest replacing them with one of these materials.

Problems From the Get-Go With Bonding 

What if you recently had a filling, and it’s already causing issues? The problem could be poor-quality initial bonding.

Let’s face it, most of us hate complaining, especially to a specialist! There are a variety of reasons why your filling didn’t bond to your tooth, and they don’t all mean you have to point your finger at the dentist. But it’s okay if you tell them that your new filling isn’t adhering correctly. 

Poor-quality bonding may occur if the tooth wasn’t thoroughly prepared before the filling was applied. The tooth surface must be cleaned and etched, and then dried so the bonding agent can adhere to the entire area. Sometimes, your body’s natural moisture (saliva) interrupts the bonding procedure, keeping the agent from sticking.

In other cases, the whole application technique includes errors, such as:

• Not using the right materials and tools
• Not letting the bonding agent cure long enough
• Applying pressure unevenly during the curing process
• Using expired or low-quality bonding materials

Excessive Force

Your teeth are stronger than bone (yes, really!), but they’re not titanium. Even teeth have limits as to how much force you can inflict on them before one or more of your teeth break.

Excessive force occurs when you have a habit of chewing hard things, like pen caps, fingernails, and other non-food items. It can also result from eating chewy (think: gum, steak, caramel) and hard (apples, jawbreakers, raw carrots) foods, or when you’ve had an injury to the head or jaw area.

More commonly, a force strong enough to break a filling occurs from teeth grinding. This condition, called bruxism, can happen when you’re awake or asleep. 

However, it’s usually the most damaging when you’re sleeping and don’t realize you’re clenching your jaw and grinding hard enough to put severe pressure on your teeth and gums. 

Although bruxism can create long-term problems, it’s easy to reduce these issues by wearing a night guard while you work on solving the underlying reason for your grinding.

Read This Before You Buy a Night Guard Online

What to Do If You Suspect a Damaged Filling

You’re pretty sure your filling is damaged, but it isn’t bothering you. So what? Do you still need to worry about it?

Yes!

Your filling was needed because there was an opening in your tooth from decay or a crack. It was protecting the tooth from exposure to bacteria and other dangers. 

Now that it’s damaged, your tooth is at risk of further decay. The nerves connected to it can become infected, leading to significant pain as the inner layers are exposed to food, bacteria, and temperatures.

If you want to avoid a root canal and dental crown, a tooth abscess (infection), and other serious dental emergencies, follow these steps:

• Call the dentist ASAP to book an appointment.
• Regularly rinse with saltwater to keep the area clean.
• Chew on the opposite side and avoid hot, cold, acidic, and sugary foods.
• Try to cover a missing filling with dental wax to prevent infection and nerve irritation.
• Keep up your oral hygiene routine, but be gentle.

You may not notice any discomfort, and that’s the best-case scenario. If you do, it’s okay to use over-the-counter pain meds. Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions if you have any other health conditions.

Treatment Options

Typical treatment for broken fillings starts with an exam and (possibly) x-rays to look for tooth decay under the filling. From there, the dentist will recommend the best approach to address your oral health needs. 

Minor and Major Treatments

If it’s minor, they’ll likely remove the old filling and replace it with a new one. This procedure is similar to what you underwent when the original was placed — it involves local anesthesia and some drilling to remove the old material and apply the new one. Once the filling hardens, your dentist may make some adjustments to ensure your bite is normal.

However, you may need a dental crown if the X-rays reveal:

• A weakened tooth structure
• More decay under the filling
• Extensive damage

This restoration adds extra strength and protection to the tooth, preventing total tooth loss. If this is the case, you may be referred to a dental surgeon specializing in root canals.

Temporary Fixes While You Wait

If you can’t get to your dentist right away, a temporary fix is possible using dental cement. Temporary dental cements are designed as emergency fixes to provide pain relief and protect the tooth while awaiting a permanent solution.

These are available over the counter, but they aren’t durable and can easily fall out. The advantages are that they’re cost-effective and convenient, providing immediate pain relief so you can eat, drink, and enjoy life again. But there’s a risk of infection from bacterial exposure until the filling is corrected, and if you apply the cement incorrectly, it can increase the damage to your tooth.

Prevention Tips to Keep Your Filling Safe

Keeping your fillings in top shape is essential for maintaining your dental health. To ensure they last as long as possible and aren’t damaged any further, follow these prevention tips:

• Brush and floss to prevent further decay.
• Use fluoride products to strengthen the surrounding tooth enamel and protect against acid erosion and new decay.
• Avoid sticky and hard foods (say no to the bad habits of chewing ice, fingernails, and pen caps).
• Wear a night guard if you’re a bruxer.

Finally — and possibly the most important on this list — is to get routine dental checkups. With regular visits, your dentist can detect oral health issues long before they cause problems, helping you avoid the pain and expense of tooth damage. 

Conclusion

No one wants to deal with filling cracks, but these dental problems can’t be ignored. An open space in a tooth allows food particles to enter, increases sensitivity, and creates rough edges that can be irritating to the soft tissue in your mouth. 

Whatever the reason for your broken filling, it’s time to call your dental office. If the cracks happened because of teeth grinding, though, prevention is the key to avoiding another restoration issue.

Visit us at JS Dental Lab to see how our custom-made night guards can help you avoid the dentist’s chair and keep your new fillings safe!