My Filling Fell Out: What to Do Next

A filling coming out is not usually an emergency, but it is not something to live with either. Here is what to do today, what not to do, and why leaving it tends to turn a cheap problem into an expensive one.

The short answer

Keep the area clean, avoid chewing on that tooth, and get it seen within a week or two. The exposed surface underneath is dentine, which is softer than enamel and decays considerably faster, so the clock is ticking gently rather than urgently. A replacement filling starts from £125 with us. If it is left long enough that too much tooth is lost, the answer becomes a crown from £600, or occasionally root canal treatment from £305 first.

What to do now

• Keep it clean. Brush the tooth gently as normal and rinse with warm salty water after meals. A clean cavity decays far more slowly than one packed with food.
• Chew on the other side. The remaining walls of the tooth are unsupported and easier to crack than you would think.
• Use temporary filling material if it is uncomfortable. Any pharmacy sells it. It is designed to wash out over days and it buys you time, nothing more.
• Manage sensitivity. Exposed dentine reacts to cold, sweet and air. Sensitive toothpaste rubbed onto the area with a fingertip helps in the meantime.
• Keep the filling if you found it, mainly so we can see what came out, though it will not be put back.

What not to do: never use superglue or any household adhesive, and do not try to seal it with chewing gum or wax. Superglue is not safe in the mouth and it makes the repair harder and dearer than it needed to be.

Why it came out

• Decay underneath. The commonest reason. Fillings do not fail in isolation; they usually let go because the tooth around them has softened.
• Age and size. Fillings are repairs, not permanent fixtures. Five to fifteen years is a normal lifespan, and the bigger the filling, the shorter it tends to be.
• A crack in the tooth. Sometimes the filling is the symptom and a fractured cusp is the cause, which changes the treatment.
• Grinding or clenching. Repeated heavy load, often at night, works fillings loose over time. If several have failed, this is worth investigating.
• Biting something hard. Occasionally it really is just the ice cube or the olive stone.

When to ring sooner rather than later

Book promptly, the same day if you can, if you have throbbing pain that painkillers are not controlling, swelling of the gum or face, a bad taste suggesting infection, or a sharp edge cutting your tongue or cheek. See our guide to toothache if pain is the main problem, and go to A&E if facial swelling is spreading towards your eye or neck.

Otherwise, an ordinary appointment in the next week or two is fine. The reason not to leave it for months is simply cost: a filling replaced promptly is £125, whereas a tooth that has broken down in the meantime is £600 upwards, and a tooth that has become infected costs more again.

What it costs

If you are not currently a patient, a new patient examination is £89 including X-rays, which we need to see whether decay has gone deeper than the surface suggests. Composite fillings start from £125 and amalgam from £95. Crowns are £600 for precious bonded or £620 for zirconia or Emax. On the NHS, fillings sit in Band 2 at £76.60. Everything is published on our fees page and you will have the cost in writing before we start.

Wondering if you should call? Our urgency checker gives an honest answer in two minutes, including what to do while you wait.

Frequently asked questions

Is a lost filling a dental emergency?

Usually not. It becomes urgent if there is significant pain, swelling, or a sharp edge causing damage. Without those, aim to be seen within a week or two rather than the same day.

Can the same filling be put back in?

No. Once it is out it no longer fits, and the cavity needs cleaning and reshaping before a new one will bond properly. Bring it if you have it, but expect a fresh filling.

Why does it hurt more now than before?

The filling was insulating the tooth. With it gone, dentine is exposed and dentine contains tubules that run towards the nerve, so cold, sweet and even air can produce a sharp twinge. That is expected. Pain that is deep, throbbing and constant is a different signal and worth a prompt appointment.

How long can I leave it?

A week or two causes little harm if you keep it clean. Months is a genuinely bad idea, because decay in exposed dentine moves quickly and the walls of a hollow tooth crack easily. That is the difference between a £125 repair and a £600 one.

Ring us on 01625 574609 and we will get you in. We keep time in the diary for urgent problems and there is free parking right outside.

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