White Fillings

Silver amalgam used to be the norm when it came to materials for restorations, such as fillings. However, silver fillings do not have much aesthetic appeal to most patients and can even cause damage to your tooth years down the road. Silver amalgam fillings are retained only by mechanical retention because they are wider on the inside than on the surface. Over a period of years, expansion and contraction of the amalgam, combined with microleakage, and the undercuts used to retain the filling can lead to a fracture or crack in the tooth. Typically fractured teeth, or teeth with cracks, need a crown to salvage the tooth.

Through many years of research, tooth-colored materials have been developed that are stronger, longer lasting and more aesthetically pleasing to our patients. Composed of composite resin, these restorations bond directly to the tooth, thereby strengthening it instead of weakening it. They are actually more wear and fracture resistant than silver amalgam fillings. Composite resins come in a variety of shades so that we can closely match the surrounding tooth. They can also be used to reshape or recontour a less than ideal smile.

Composite restorations require less removal of your healthy tooth structure to place than those with amalgams, and especially with new cavities. A number of people take comfort in knowing that white fillings contain no mercury, unlike silver amalgams. Ask us about our new white, tooth-colored materials and how we can restore your smile!