White vs Silver fillings the facts!

Posted: 22 November 2011

Most people have fillings in their mouths and often these are the old style silver amalgam fillings. As a dentist in Liverpool, we know that while these are very good. They can last a long time, but we are all now far more concerned with the appearance of our teeth, and don’t want to see rows of black fillings when we smile and laugh. There is also a concern regarding the metal and mercury that these fillings contain being put in out teeth. The modern composite (white) fillings have been developed over many years and studies have now shown that modern white fillings are just as hard and wear resistant as these old silver fillings.

Studies have also shown that if teeth have big fillings then teeth restored with white fillings are less likely to crack and break. As we’re involved in all aspect of dentistry Liverpool, we’d suggest the biggest advantage is the appearance, they can be shaded to match your own teeth so that they look completely natural when you laugh and smile.

What materials are used for white and tooth coloured fillings?

There are several different types of white filling materials. The most common three are;

Composite – This is the most commonly used material as it a very aesthetic, and comes in many shades to match to your teeth. It has been developed into a very strong material and can be used in pretty much any tooth.

Glass ionomer – This has different properties to composite. Generally it is not considered to be as good aesthetically as composite. However it contains fluoride which spreads into the tooth it is repairing. This makes it ideals for filling the roots of teeth and also children’s teeth.

Porcelain – Porcelain can be an excellent choice for repairing large cavities in back teeth as it is a very hard material. It too can be easily colour matched for the best appearance. This type of filling is called an Inlay.

Where can they be used?White fillings have been placed in front teeth for decades now. There used to be question marks over whether they were strong enough to be used in back teeth. However the materials have now been developed such that even the largest of fillings on back teeth can usually be restored with composite.

What is bonding?
“Bonding” is really an American expression which refers to the use of white filling materials to correct unsightly front teeth. Basically the material is matched very closely to the colour of the teeth and is bonded on to them to correct minor irregularities in their appearance. Very good results can be achieved in a single visit, and often no preparation of the teeth is required.

What are the advantages of white fillings?
The obvious advantage is the appearance; the tooth will actually look like a natural tooth after it has been filled. Quite often is almost impossible to tell the tooth even has a filling in it. Please see our picture galleries for examples of this. Other less obvious advantages are that the material is bonded to the tooth, meaning less destructive preparation of the cavity. Also teeth with bonded fillings are less likely to form stress fractures in the future.  It is also well known that white fillings do not contain mercury like silver amalgam fillings do.

We would love to see you for a FREE consultation at our award-winning Liverpool dental practice please can us on 0151 709 9146 to make arrangements or alternatively you can e-mail us .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) -Happy Smiling