Do fillings usually fall out after a certain amount of time?

Are fillings permanent, or do they eventually always fall out?

Answers from doctors (1)


Oak Park Dental Associates

Published on Aug 18, 2011

Permanent fillings are "permanent" in the sense that they are to be used for a longer period of time than temporary ones. Unfortunately, permanent does not mean "forever lasting" filling. It will eventually need to be replaced at some point in time. Fillings usually last around 7 to 10 years. People may say their filling lasting over 15 years. The truth is fillings may be failing for years before they would ever fall off or would be noticeable. At that point, the tooth usually needs a root canal or may be unrestorable and would need to be removed when the fillings eventually fall out. I hope this helps. Ask your dentist for more details or information.

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Answered by Oak Park Dental Associates

Permanent fillings are "permanent" in the sense that they are to be used for a longer period of time than temporary ones. Unfortunately, permanent does not mean "forever lasting" filling. It will eventually need to be replaced at some point in time. Fillings usually last around 7 to 10 years. People may say their filling lasting over 15 years. The truth is fillings may be failing for years before they would ever fall off or would be noticeable. At that point, the tooth usually needs a root canal or may be unrestorable and would need to be removed when the fillings eventually fall out. I hope this helps. Ask your dentist for more details or information.

Published on Jul 11, 2012


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