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Thursday, December 28, 2017

Causes of Filling Failure

Previously on our blog, we’ve discussed warning signs of a failing dental filling. Patients at the Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Center in Austin receive high-quality care, but fillings have a limited lifespan and sometimes need to be replaced. This week, we’re discussing what factors could cause a filling to fail.


According to newly published research, some of the most common factors in filling failure are smoking, alcohol, and genetics. While there’s nothing that can be done about genetics except increasing vigilance, alcohol, and smoking are two factors which cause a variety of oral health problems and are linked to the failure of other prosthodontics. Smoking is associated with higher rates of implant failure, and although the study only examined smoking in men, alcohol was found to increase the risk in both sexes. Of course, continued tooth decay was already known to contribute to filling failure. Another interesting result of the study was that white fillings do not have a higher rate of failure than old amalgam fillings, meaning that they are an aesthetically-pleasing alternative with little risk.


Frederick Shaw, DDS, operates the Shoal Creek Prosthodontic Group at 1500 W 38th Street, Suite 34, Austin, Texas, 78731. To schedule an appointment, call 512-451-7491 or visit Frederick Shaw DDS and fill out a contact form.


 

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