20 Sep Tooth Coloured or Silver Amalgam Fillings?

When deciding on which dental treatment to have it can all seem a bit confusing.

White fillings, silver fillings, composite, amalgam…what are they all?

At Thackeray Dental Care we provide a full range of dental treatments and are lucky that we have available to us most materials that are on the market. Dental materials technology is changing all the time and filling materials are being developed for better aesthetics, better wear and better overall results.

We are fortunate that we can access all these materials due to the way we work. We are not limited by the restrictions imposed by NHS regulations.

For instance, if you need a filling on a back tooth, you can only have an amalgam or silver coloured filling placed under the NHS. Sometimes it is just not appropriate to place an amalgam or there is not enough tooth left to be able to retain the filling. This is because silver fillings do not adhere to the tooth and are placed within the tooth. We often need to remove more tooth tissue to place a silver filling or the compromise is a crown has to be placed instead which really does destroy a lot of the remaining tooth tissue.

As an independent practice we can offer you modern up to date materials to restore your tooth so maximising the amount of tooth tissue present and allowing what we call “Minimal Intervention Dentistry”.

Modern filling materials, such as the tooth coloured or composite materials, can be placed in most situations where amalgam couldn’t be placed and would require much more retention.

Composite fillings actually adhere to the tooth structure so producing a stronger structure that can pretty much be impermeable to fluids and debris. They look great too and there are none of the concerns that still bother people regarding the mercury content.

But I have heard that composite fillings don’t last as long as silver fillings?

This can be true especially with older composites but now with the newer composites we are finding they can last longer and have a comparable life span to amalgam.

Obviously the benefits are they can be placed where amalgam cannot be, so reducing the need to progress to the next level of treatment such as a crown.

Are composite fillings tricky to place?

Yes they do require more technique and you will be glad to know that all of our dentists at Thackeray Dental Care in Mansfield have been placing these types of fillings for many years and get great results. You will find that these types of fillings also take longer than amalgam as they are technique sensitive and need to be placed with care and under strict conditions such as moisture free conditions.

Tooth coloured composite fillings really do serve a good modern alternative to amalgam silver fillings now. They can be placed in many situations where previously amalgam was contraindicated and they are both strong and aesthetically pleasing.

If you are interested in knowing more about the types of fillings then do ask next time you are in but Simon, Duncan and Julia will always discuss all the alternative treatments that are suitable for you and help give you as much information as possible.