Diligent dental hygiene can help extend the life of your fillings but, generally speaking, the lifespans of the different types of dental fillings are:

• Gold fillings – 15 to 25 years
• Amalgam fillings – 10 to 15 years
• Composite fillings – 5 to 10 years
• Ceramic fillings – 10 to 20 years
• Glass ionomer fillings – 2.5 to 5 years

There are several indicators that your dental fillings may need replacing. You should schedule an appointment with your dentist to have your dental fillings checked if:

• The filling has become loose, damaged, worn, or discolored.
  
• You feel a sharp pain when you bite down on food.
  
• You are experiencing heightened sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks. 
• You have had recent facial trauma in the region of your filling.

No. The treatment causes little to no discomfort from start to finish. The dentist uses numbing agents so all you may feel is a slight sting in the beginning and then some discomfort, sensitivity, and mild pain afterward as the anesthetic starts to wear off. These disappear in one to two weeks.

Temporary fillings are much easier to put in than more permanent ones. Your dentist may decide to use one:

• As an emergency treatment if your cavity is causing you severe pain and there isn’t time to do a permanent filling.
  
• To seal your tooth while dental crowns are being prepared.
• To allow you to heal after a root canal before a permanent filling is put in.