Replacement of Silver Fillings

Have you ever noticed in older movies, TV shows, and photos that you can often see silver fillings in the actors’ mouths? In today’s world it’s hard, if not impossible, to spot anyone in film, television, and broadcast journalism who has less-than-perfect teeth—especially visibly dark fillings.

While we don’t suggest over-the-top celebrity teeth for most people—mainly because it often looks good on camera but very unnatural in person—there are many advantages to having your old silver fillings replaced with tooth-colored (composite) restorations.

Five Good Reasons to Change Your Silver Fillings to All White:

  1. Tooth-colored fillings blend in with your natural teeth and can instantly brighten your entire smile.
  2. Dark teeth are associated with aging, so changing your fillings to all white can give you a more youthful appearance.
  3. Composites are bonded to your teeth and create a tight, superior fit to your natural tooth, even making it stronger.
  4. Since the resin used in tooth-colored composites contains fluoride, changing to all-white fillings can help prevent tooth decay.
  5. Composite fillings correct the underlying shadows seen in visible teeth that have old silver fillings.

Five More Good Reasons to Change Your Silver Fillings to All White:

Silver fillings—called alloy or amalgam—have, for many of us, kept our teeth intact since childhood, but placing them in today’s world of modern dental technology just doesn’t make sense.

  • The edges of a silver filling can wear down and become weak (called leaking), which allows bacteria to leak inside your tooth and cause decay beneath the filling.
  • A silver filling is sensitive to temperature—it expands with heat and contracts with cold (think of the mercury in a thermometer). Over time, the expansion and contraction can eventually split or crack your tooth and is responsible for the leakage mentioned above.
  • Silver fillings can stain your teeth over time, turning them to a noticeable shade of gray or even darker.
  • Silver fillings contain mercury. A dental amalgam is actually made up of a combination of metals: copper, silver, tin, and mercury. The type of mercury used in dental amalgam isn’t the same as that found in fish and is considered a safe, stable material when combined with the other metals. Even so, in today’s health-conscious world, most people prefer not to have mercury in their teeth.
  • Silver fillings do not look like your natural teeth!

So Should You Switch Out Your Old Silver Fillings?

That’s a personal decision based on how you feel about aesthetics, comfort, function, and peace of mind regarding mercury concerns.

If you do feel ready to make the change, let us know!

We’ll examine your existing fillings, help you determine a replacement plan, and provide you with more information on composite fillings and other possible cosmetic options.