Amalgam Or Tooth Coloured Fillings?

Looking at the pros and cons of each of these filling materials for our Wickford patients.

There are two main types of filling materials that are used by dentists these days. The traditional one known as an amalgam filling and the newer tooth coloured fillings which are now available. Both have a role to play in dentistry and their use is likely to depend on the situation in hand and the aesthetic choice of the patient where appropriate. There are a number of factors that have to be taken into consideration when selecting the filling material to be used though, and we will look at some of these today in our Cygnet Dental blog.

Amalgam

Like other UK dentists, amalgam fillings have been used at our Wickford dental practice for a long time. They offer a very strong way of filling a cavity and last for a long time. The downside of their use, of course, is that, as they are made of various metals including silver, tin, copper and mercury, they are very visible. Amalgam can cope well with the stresses and strains of chewing and biting and have been especially useful on the rear teeth that do a lot of this type of work.

While there is no real evidence to support this, some patients also express concern about the use of mercury in these filling materials. This is an important component of it and mercury has been cleared for use safely by medical professional bodies. That said, there is a trend away from the use of mercury due to environmental concerns about it leaking into the water supply. This will be a gradual phasing out though which may take a number of years.

Tooth coloured fillings

The main reason why, given an option, an increasing number of patients are choosing white tooth fillings is quite obvious. Unlike amalgam, the material can be adjusted to match the shade of the tooth that is being filled, rendering it almost indistinguishable to the naked eye.

This isn’t the only advantage though. Amalgam tends to shrink over time and this can leave small gaps between the edge of the filling and the natural tooth. This allows the opportunity for bacteria to enter and can lead to further tooth decay in these areas. White tooth fillings, on the other hand, bond directly to the prepared natural tooth and will not shrink. They usually also require less of the natural tooth to be removed during preparation for the filling itself.

In the past, these fillings were also thought not to be strong enough for larger filings or for fillings in teeth that did a lot of the harder work. Over time though, they have improved and they can now be used on a much wider range of fillings than before.

Decision time

Naturally, a patient might ask the dentist to fill the tooth with the more aesthetically pleasing white fillings but the dentist has a responsibility to also fill the tooth in the best way possible. There is little point in using a filling material that might break soon after, just because it looks nicer. Our Wickford dentists will discuss this with you when a treatment has been decided and increasingly, due to advances, the use of a white tooth filling is more likely than in the past.

Replacing older amalgam fillings

Now the white filling option is available for a wider range of fillings, it is understandable that some patients have asked about removing old amalgam fillings and replacing them with the white ones. This is possible but there are often risks to doing this as well. Removing amalgam fillings means removing some of the natural tooth structure as well and, in doing so, can weaken the tooth even more. Replacing an amalgam filling is more appropriate if the filling has started to crack or leak and your dentist will discuss the option of replacing it with a white filling then.

The bottom line is that there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution and, while we are happy to provide you with a natural looking white filling where appropriate, there may be cases where we feel that an amalgam filling would be more suitable. There are also other potential alternatives that might be available in some cases such as the use of a crown, inlay or onlay and we will discuss these with you at the time.

If you would like to discuss these options with us or if you need to see a dentist for an appointment, whether that be a check up or if you have a problem you would like us to take a look at, please contact us by calling the Cygnet Dental Practice today on 01268 733078.