TOOTH COLOURED FILLINGS: WHAT’S THE STORY?

Is a tooth coloured filling better than silver?
White or tooth coloured fillings and silver amalgam fillings each have their pros and cons. The huge benefit of cosmetic fillings is that they can be coloured-matched, meaning they can blend in with your natural teeth whereas silver fillings are more noticeable, although they do have the advantage of typically lasting longer and being less expensive. have a look at some real patients real results. Patient Photos

What are the benefits of tooth coloured fillings?
Cosmetic fillings are now available in a wide range of shades and degrees of translucency, meaning it is easy to match them to your natural tooth. And because they reflect the light in the same way as tooth enamel, this also helps to make them blend in with your natural teeth.

Are cosmetic fillings better?
As cosmetic fillings are tooth-coloured, they have the added advantage over silver fillings that, besides filling cavities, they can also be used to: 1) Build up or restore teeth damaged through general wear, decay or injury; 2) Close small front gaps; 3) Renew dark, discoloured teeth, often producing quite dramatic improvements and offering a more affordable option than other restorative treatments. They can also be combined with adult braces and dramatic results can be achieved in short periods of time. Braces , Whitening and Bonding

What is the difference between a composite and an inlay?
To fill a cavity, white tooth coloured fillings and composite inlays can often be used interchangeably, although inlays are typically used for much larger cavities. With cosmetic tooth coloured fillings, there is the possibility of shrinkage during setting but a white composite inlay avoids this as it is made in the lab from an impression and rebuilt to the original dimensions following any shrinkage before going in the mouth.

Do I need to replace my silver fillings?
There is no need to replace a silver filling unless it is failing in some way. As Dentists, our overriding concern is always to protect and conserve as much of your natural tooth for as long as possible, which is why we are always reluctant to replace old silver fillings for purely cosmetic reasons.

How long do cosmetic fillings last?
It is true that silver fillings invariably last longer than cosmetic fillings – at 10-15 years for silver compared to around 5-7 years for white – although recent advances mean that composite fillings can now be made from materials comparable to amalgam.