Teeth with fillings?

Are teeth with fillings in them more or less likely to get further decay in them? One of my teeth which already has a filling has got another cavity. Can you have two separate fillings in one tooth? Or will they take the first one out and make it into one big filling?

Teeth with fillings?

They never tell you that the fillings you get will need replacing in the future, do they?

I don't know if the teeth are MORE likely to get more decay than unfilled teeth, but I do know that they can develop more cavities. If your new cavity is near the old filling one new filling maybe used for both, but if the cavity is not near the other one, the tooth will have two fillings.

I've had both kinds.

Teeth with fillings?

i have 2 seperate fillings in one tooth....im not sure if they are more prone to decay though

Other Replys:Have you thought about having a second mouth - it may well be less complicated (though obviously, costing twice as much in toothpaste).

Other Replys:second mouth idea is really bad. Don't do it. Last time... well I won't get into that. Anyway, no the tooth is not more prone to a cavity, except for the fact that when you brush you probably have a tendancy to miss that tooth. Focus a little on it. Sometimes places are just missed frequently. And yes you surely can have multiple fillings in one tooth. All the dentist needs is to drill out an area big enough to put the filling in properly, whether he is drilling through tooth or filling it doesn't matter. And yes, likely a filling will be replaced in the distant future. White fillings more often then the silver.

Other Replys:Yes, teeth with filling are more likely to get decay in them than ones that don't. This is because there is always going to be some tiny little gap where natural tooth structure & the filling meet. With good homecare (brushing for 2 minutes 2 times a day & flossing once a day) & visiting your dentist often (teeth should be professionally cleaned at least 2 times a year) your fillings can last a long time (usually 7 years or more). Yes, you can have two different fillings on the same tooth & if they suspect decay under the old filling, they will replace that as well.