Traditional fillings have long had a reputation for being adequate to fill the holes left after removal of cavities (aka dental caries), but they were clearly not the ideal solution. Invented in 1819 when the first one made of mercury was invented, they have variously been called mercury, silver, amalgam, or metal fillings. Although the American Dental Association has said it does not regard them as dangerous, the Centers for Disease Control has noted that there is no known level of safety for mercury exposure.
Patients concerned about any possible risk or who are allergic to mercury have had old fillings replaced with newer and better materials. Others simply have not wanted to flash so much silver whenever they fully smiled, advertising that they had not properly cared for their teeth and distracting from first impressions.
The most popular alternative is a composite resin (a safe acrylic or plastic), which has the huge advantage of also being able to be made the exact shade of white of the tooth that has the cavity.
Or you could upgrade the whiteness of all your visible teeth with our professional-grade whitening gel and custom-fitted oral trays (as you probably already know, over-the-counter whiteners are not very effective). Either way, as long as you maintain a good brushing and flossing program, especially after drinking dark beverages or eating strongly-colored foods, your teeth should retain that level of whiteness. It also helps to have your teeth cleaned by your dental hygienist twice a year. If your teeth (including any that have had tooth-colored fillings) start to darken, you can always wear the whitening trays for a few hours a day again.
The biggest benefit of having tooth-colored fillings is that they will allow you to always flash a full smile, indicating confidence and friendliness, whether it’s on a first date made online or through friends, at a job interview, or for your social media photo.
Composite resin fillings are much less expensive than porcelain or gold ones, but they do not last as long. Normal wear-and-tear offset by good oral health care usually means they can last up to 10 years, but be careful not to chew on pens or ice, eat very hard foods, or pull clothes on or off with your teeth. If you grind them when you sleep, you should ask for us to make you a customized mouth guard to wear at night to stop the damage that can lead to cavities.
If you believe you may need a filling, call for an appointment to have a full dental exam today.
