{"id":265,"date":"2025-03-10T15:16:14","date_gmt":"2025-03-10T15:16:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/?p=265"},"modified":"2025-07-21T18:17:39","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T18:17:39","slug":"how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/","title":{"rendered":"Set It and Forget It: Here\u2019s How Long Dental Fillings Really Last"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AdobeStock_170639539-1.jpeg\" alt=\"Patient smiling with dental fillings\" class=\"wp-image-266\" style=\"width:306px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AdobeStock_170639539-1.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AdobeStock_170639539-1-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AdobeStock_170639539-1-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Dental fillings are the most common fix for cavities, but they don\u2019t last forever. Over time, wear and tear can cause them to break down, leaving your tooth vulnerable to decay once again. So, how long do dental fillings actually last? The answer is more complicated than you might think! Continue reading to explore the factors surrounding the longevity of fillings and what you can do to extend their life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Different Fillings Have Different Durations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Dental fillings can be made of several different types of materials and they\u2019re not all created equally. Some last longer than others due to their durability or how well they bond to teeth. Here\u2019s the average time for each of the most common materials:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Amalgam (Silver) Fillings: <\/strong>10 to 15 years<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Composite (Tooth-Colored) Fillings:<\/strong> 7 to 10 years<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gold Fillings: <\/strong>15 to 30 years<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ceramic Fillings:<\/strong> 10 to 15 years<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Glass Ionomer Fillings:<\/strong> 5 to 7 years<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Gold and ceramic fillings tend to last the longest, while composite and glass ionomer fillings have a shorter lifespan. However, good oral hygiene and maintenance can help extend the life of any filling!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When to Replace Your Dental Fillings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see, even the most durable fillings will eventually wear out. But when will you know it\u2019s time to see your dentist for a replacement? Watch for these signs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pain or Sensitivity:<\/strong> If your tooth becomes sensitive to hot, cold, or pressure, your filling might be loose or slightly damaged.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Visible Damage: <\/strong>A chipped, cracked, or missing filling is a clear sign it\u2019s time for a replacement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tooth Decay Around the Filling:<\/strong> If new decay forms at the edges of your filling, bacteria can sneak underneath, leading to bigger problems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Making Your Dental Fillings Last Longer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to extend the lifespan of your dental fillings, it\u2019ll take a little work and care. Here are a few simple tips to make the most of your restorations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Practice Good Oral Hygiene:<\/strong> Brush twice a day, floss before going to bed, and use a fluoride mouthwash to keep decay at bay.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cut Back on Hard or Sticky Foods:<\/strong> Chewing on ice, hard candy, or sticky sweets can weaken or even dislodge fillings, so moderate your intake and use caution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t Grind Your Teeth: <\/strong>If you grind or clench your teeth, especially while you sleep, you might consider wearing a nightguard to prevent damage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Visit Your Dentist Regularly:<\/strong> Routine checkups allow your dentist to spot early signs of filling failure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>While fillings are durable and keep your pearly whites protected, they won\u2019t last forever. The type of filling, your oral habits, and the level of care you put into your smile all determine how long they last. If you\u2019re worried that your fillings may be failing, schedule a visit to your dentist before a small issue turns into a big problem!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At <a href=\"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/about-us.html\">Plaisance and Bostick Family Dentistry<\/a>, our team of esteemed dental experts offers quality care in a comfortable and friendly environment. Whether you\u2019re in need of simple or serious treatment, we have the right technology and experience to give you a glowing grin. Call (504) 738-5171 to schedule a checkup and cleaning with us or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/\">visit our website<\/a> to explore a full menu of services.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dental fillings are the most common fix for cavities, but they don\u2019t last forever. Over time, wear and tear can cause them to break down, leaving your tooth vulnerable to decay once again. So, how long do dental fillings actually last? The answer is more complicated than you might think! Continue reading to explore the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Long Do Dental Fillings Last | Plaisance and Bostick Family Dentistry<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dental fillings are some of the simplest treatments you can receive for cavities, but how long do they last on average?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"How Long Do Dental Fillings Last | Plaisance and Bostick Family Dentistry\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Dental fillings are some of the simplest treatments you can receive for cavities, but how long do they last on average?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AdobeStock_170639539-1.jpeg\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"drplaisance\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/1f6480c5988bf90a2650f5ab7275365b\"},\"headline\":\"Set It and Forget It: Here\u2019s How Long Dental Fillings Really Last\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-10T15:16:14+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-21T18:17:39+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":552,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/AdobeStock_170639539-1.jpeg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\\\/\",\"name\":\"How Long Do Dental Fillings Last | Plaisance and Bostick Family Dentistry\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/AdobeStock_170639539-1.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-10T15:16:14+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-21T18:17:39+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/1f6480c5988bf90a2650f5ab7275365b\"},\"description\":\"Dental fillings are some of the simplest treatments you can receive for cavities, but how long do they last on average?\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/AdobeStock_170639539-1.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/AdobeStock_170639539-1.jpeg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":533},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Set It and Forget It: Here\u2019s How Long Dental Fillings Really Last\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Plaisance &amp; Bostick Family Dentistry Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/1f6480c5988bf90a2650f5ab7275365b\",\"name\":\"drplaisance\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How Long Do Dental Fillings Last | Plaisance and Bostick Family Dentistry","description":"Dental fillings are some of the simplest treatments you can receive for cavities, but how long do they last on average?","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"How Long Do Dental Fillings Last | Plaisance and Bostick Family Dentistry","twitter_description":"Dental fillings are some of the simplest treatments you can receive for cavities, but how long do they last on average?","twitter_image":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AdobeStock_170639539-1.jpeg","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/"},"author":{"name":"drplaisance","@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/1f6480c5988bf90a2650f5ab7275365b"},"headline":"Set It and Forget It: Here\u2019s How Long Dental Fillings Really Last","datePublished":"2025-03-10T15:16:14+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-21T18:17:39+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/"},"wordCount":552,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AdobeStock_170639539-1.jpeg","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/","url":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/","name":"How Long Do Dental Fillings Last | Plaisance and Bostick Family Dentistry","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AdobeStock_170639539-1.jpeg","datePublished":"2025-03-10T15:16:14+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-21T18:17:39+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/1f6480c5988bf90a2650f5ab7275365b"},"description":"Dental fillings are some of the simplest treatments you can receive for cavities, but how long do they last on average?","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AdobeStock_170639539-1.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AdobeStock_170639539-1.jpeg","width":800,"height":533},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/how-long-do-dental-fillings-last-on-average\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Set It and Forget It: Here\u2019s How Long Dental Fillings Really Last"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/","name":"Plaisance &amp; Bostick Family Dentistry Blog","description":"","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/1f6480c5988bf90a2650f5ab7275365b","name":"drplaisance"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=265"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":300,"href":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265\/revisions\/300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.riverridgesmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}