Fillings have a life span of between five to fifteen years. Therefore, the need and benefits of replacing fillings are important to talk to your dentist about.

The benefits of replacing old fillings are:

Better-looking, whiter fillings
Stronger teeth
Less chance for the bacteria to get in and under the filling increasing decay on the tooth
A lower risk for the filling to fall out or break due to normal every day wear and tear

The types of fillings that you could get are going to be either a direct filling, or an indirect filling.

The indirect fillings are those like caps, or crowns and inlays. These are used usually when there is not enough of a tooth surface to create a sturdy tooth replacement. These fillings usually take a couple of visits to complete.

The direct fillings are the ones that are put in after a dentist has removed the decay and it sits right in or on the tooth. These fillings can be completed in one visit and are usually hard and ready pretty quickly.

There are a couple different fillings that a dentist can place in your mouth in order to fill in the areas of empty tooth, where decay had to be removed. These fillings can come in the dental amalgam, ceramic form, or cast gold alloy. Here are some characteristics of each kind.

Dental amalgam- this stress bearing substance is made from different types of metal, it is usually used when moisture control, hygienic or cost is an over ridding concern with the patient.
Ceramic fillings- these fillings tend to last for a good amount of time. However it is less than the amalgam fillings. There are benefits to the way these fillings look more natural. These fillings can be completed relatively quickly. Also, there is no metallic taste to affect your food and drinks.
Cast gold alloy- these fillings are the longest lasting fillings available. They are also the strongest for normal wear and tear. Gold alloy is a good way to support other forms of fillings in addition to being a good way to strengthen the fillings in teeth.

If fillings are not replaced in a timely manner, the filling will start to separate from the teeth. This is called leaking, and leaking can be a major cause for bacteria to get into the tooth and causes plaque which then causes tooth decay.

The problem with not having regular dental appointment and fillings replaced, is that the decay can not always be seen by brushing, and therefore you may have a tooth or many teeth that are being destroyed and you do not even know it.

With the extreme amount of pressure we put on our teeth every day, it is imperative that we keep our teeth as strong as possible. Old fillings will crack and break as time goes by. The amount of stress we put on our teeth makes it very difficult for fillings to last for a very long time. There are some habits like bad oral care; grinding teeth and smoking that increase the need for replacement of fillings.

In order to know exactly what your teeth need, it is important to make your regular dental appointments and follow through with the suggestions that your dentist informs you are necessary. There may be a need to replace a filling sooner than you think, however there are benefits to replacing those fillings that out weigh the cost.