White Fillings
Sharon Dental offers white fillings to replace amalgam fillings
If you’re between the ages of 24 to 65, chances are good you’ve had a dental cavity. And, like many other Canadians, the chances are also good that your filling was made of grey metal amalgam – those silver fillings you can see in your mouth when you smile or laugh. At one point, these fillings were your only option if you needed a filling, so it’s very likely that if you’re over the age of 30, you have at least one of those old amalgam fillings.
At Sharon Dental, we no longer offer metal amalgam fillings, partly due to health risks associated with them, but also because tooth colored composite fillings look and function better. While we use these white fillings now for patients who have new cavities, we also get a lot of requests from patients to replace their old, amalgam silver fillings with these newer composite fillings. So, why replace amalgam fillings?
Do You Have Cracks In Your Filled Tooth?
The metal used in amalgam fillings corrodes over time causing it to expand and contract, and over the years this can cause fractures in the tooth. A fractured tooth allows food debris, saliva and bacteria to get in and cause a cavity in a filled tooth.
Is There A Cavity Under Your Silver Filling?
Cavities can hide under fillings and usually can go undetected because they are opaque to x-rays. At Sharon Dental we use x-rays to help diagnose the condition of the tooth, but we also use an intra-oral camera that helps us get a better picture of what exactly is going on inside. Just because a tooth is filled it doesn’t mean it is cavity free.
Is Your Metal Filling Leaking?
As amalgam fillings breakdown, they begin to pull away from the tooth. When there is no seal, per se, that is when fillings begin to ‘leak’. This is a problem on many levels. First this allows food, saliva, and bacteria to enter your tooth which can cause damage to the tooth in the form of decay. It also causes less strength in the tooth and may make it more susceptible to fracturing.
Do You Clench Or Grind Your Teeth?
Normal chewing puts a substantial amount of force on teeth naturally and over time can wear down your fillings. If you clench or grind your teeth this causes even more excessive force which cause fillings to breakdown faster.
Do You Chew On Hard Objects?
Some people like to chew on hard candy, ice, or objects like pen caps. These practices can also impact filled teeth by putting more pressure on the tooth and filling than would normally occur.
If you do feel you’re ready to bid farewell to those ugly silver spots in your smile, or you just want to learn more about composite fillings, please schedule a consultation at Sharon Dental. Dr. Paul Elliott will examine any of your existing fillings, help you determine a replacement plan and provide you with more information on composite fillings or other possible cosmetic options.