How Much Better Is A White Filling Than A Silver One?

Years ago the basic silver filling was the workhorse of the dentist's armamentarium to fill defects in teeth or areas left after decay was removed from a tooth.

If there was not enough tooth structure left a crown was placed and that is still the case though. Crowns will be the subject of a later blog. The white fillings done many years ago in the front teeth were simply placed and "sealed" into place with a resin. About 30 years ago a process was developed to seal these fillings in with visible light that "cured" the resin. This made the filling much more dependable and hard and after many years of advancement led to the present day white filling material we use now. These materials are so effective and strong that we can even use them in high stress areas such as back teeth. This was an area that for years only silver metal fillings would hold up.

Now the dental world has changed such that very very few silver fillings are placed in lieu of the much more esthetic white fillings. These "composite" fillings have several advantages over the old silver fillings. They are "bonded" into place which will hold together the tooth after it has had decay removed. A silver filling simply sits and fills the void, but actually weakens the tooth. There is no mercury in the composite fillings. The white filling, when properly placed, is as hard and durable as a silver filling. If part of the tooth breaks somehow the white filling can be used as a "base" for a crown. A silver filling needs to be completely removed . The old silver fillings actually stain the tooth so it turns dark or a blueish tint after a while. The white fillings are stable enough to stay esthetically pleasing for many years.

It is more difficult and time consuming to place a white filling so they are a bit more expensive, but the results and durability are such that this small increase is well worth it.

Our patients are constantly amazed when they see the results of these white fillings and how much more pleasing they are than the old silver ones. We do not reinforce removing an old silver filling just to put in a white one, but if the old filling is breaking down or there is another reason to replace it, we strongly recommend these new high tech white fillings. Of course, we also recommend any new fillings to be the new "bonded" white type. They are beautiful and very long lasting.

Our office can show you before and after photos also so you can see the amazing difference. They are also on our website under "services". We will be glad to answer any questions you may have about them.

Photo by tallasiandude