Replacing Fillings and Crowns in Kitchener

No filling or crown lasts forever. They’re working parts, chewing thousands of times a day and sitting in a warm, wet mouth that’s full of bacteria. Over the years edges wear down, seals open up and decay creeps in underneath. At Fairway Dental in Kitchener we replace old and failing fillings and crowns, often before they break or cause pain. This page is about restorations that are wearing out, not ones that just snapped. It covers the signs to look for, how we decide what needs replacing and what to expect at the appointment.

Why fillings and crowns wear out

Every restoration has a natural lifespan, and that varies a lot from person to person. Things that shorten it include:

Grinding and clenching. Heavy forces wear down the surface and can crack both the restoration and the tooth around it.
Decay at the edges. The seam where a filling or crown meets the tooth is a spot where plaque likes to collect. New decay there, often called recurrent decay, undermines the restoration from below.
Size. Large fillings that replace much of a tooth carry more stress and are more prone to fracture than small ones.
Gum recession. As gums pull back, the edge of an old crown can become exposed, along with root surface that decays easily.
Diet. Frequent sugar and acidic drinks speed up decay around restorations.
Age of the material. Older composites can stain and wear, and some older crowns were made in ways that don’t seal as well as current ones.

Signs a restoration is failing

Some failing restorations make their presence known. Others are only spotted on an X-ray. Watch for:

A dark line or shadow around the edge of a filling
Floss that catches or shreds in the same spot
A rough edge your tongue keeps finding
New sensitivity to cold or sweets in a tooth that already has a filling
Pain on biting, or a sharp twinge as you release a bite
A crown that looks longer than it used to, with a dark band showing near the gum
A crown that feels slightly loose or makes a clicking sound
A bad taste or smell from around a crowned tooth
Visible cracks in an old silver filling or the tooth next to it

None of these mean you need to rush in tonight. They do mean the restoration should be checked before a small problem turns into a broken tooth or a root canal.

Does it really need replacing?

We don’t replace restorations just because they’re old. A silver filling that’s been in place for decades, with tight edges and no decay underneath, may be doing its job perfectly well. The dentist looks at several things before recommending a change:

Whether the edges are sealed or have gaps
Whether X-rays show decay under or beside the restoration
Whether there are cracks in the tooth or the material
Whether you have symptoms
How the restoration looks, if that matters to you, such as old fillings on front teeth

Sometimes a small repair is enough. A chipped edge can be smoothed or patched, or a small area of decay at the margin can be filled without redoing the whole thing. The dentist will tell you which options make sense and why.

Replacing it, step by step

Replacing a filling

The tooth is numbed. The old filling is removed, along with any decay underneath. Once only sound tooth remains, the dentist decides what it needs. If the remaining tooth is strong, a new tooth-coloured filling is placed and shaped to your bite. If the cavity has grown large or the walls of the tooth are thin, the dentist may recommend a crown instead, since a bigger filling would be likely to fail again.

Replacing a crown

The old crown is carefully cut off, since crowns are cemented firmly and aren’t designed to be removed in one piece. The dentist then checks the tooth underneath, removes any decay and rebuilds the core if needed. A new impression or scan is taken, and you leave with a temporary crown. At the next visit the new crown is fitted, checked and cemented.

Swapping old silver fillings for tooth-coloured ones

Some people want to replace old amalgam fillings for appearance. That’s a reasonable choice, especially if the fillings show when you smile or are already wearing out. The dentist will be honest with you if a particular filling is still healthy, since removing sound tooth structure to replace a working filling isn’t always in your best interest.

After the replacement

Expect the tooth to feel a little different for a few days. A new filling may be slightly sensitive to cold, and a new crown can feel big to your tongue until you get used to it. Gums around a new crown are often tender for a couple of days because they were handled during the visit. Rinsing with warm salt water helps.

Pay attention to your bite. If the tooth feels like it hits first when you close, or you notice a sore spot when chewing, call us. A tiny adjustment fixes it, and leaving a high spot can make the tooth ache. Deeper replacements, where the old decay was close to the nerve, sometimes stay sensitive for a few weeks. If it’s slowly getting better, that’s normal. If it gets worse or starts to throb, let us know.

When a replacement turns up a bigger problem

Occasionally, when an old restoration comes out, the decay underneath is deeper than the X-ray suggested. If it has reached the nerve, the tooth may need a root canal before a new crown. The dentist will stop and explain this to you before going further, so there are no surprises.

Planning several replacements

If you have a mouth full of older dental work, it can feel overwhelming to hear that several pieces need attention. You don’t have to do it all at once. We can rank them, starting with the ones that have decay or cracks, and spread the rest out to suit your schedule and your insurance year. We bill your insurer directly.

Making the new ones last

Floss daily, paying attention to the edges of every crown and filling
Use a fluoride toothpaste, and ask about extra fluoride if you get recurrent decay
Wear a night guard if you grind
Have checkups and X-rays at the interval the dentist suggests, so edges can be monitored

FAQ

How long does a filling or crown last?

There’s no fixed number. Small fillings in a well cared for mouth can last a very long time, while large fillings in someone who grinds may need replacing much sooner.

Will replacing a filling hurt?

The tooth is numbed, so it should feel much like getting the original filling.

Can a crown be replaced without a new one being made?

If it came off intact and the tooth is healthy, it can sometimes be recemented. A crown with decay underneath or a poor fit usually needs to be remade.

If you’ve noticed a dark edge, a rough spot or new sensitivity around an old filling or crown, call Fairway Dental in Kitchener at 519-893-9494. We’ll check it, show you what we find and replace it only if it needs replacing.

Related treatments

Questions or ready to book? Contact our Kitchener office or call 519-893-9494.