In past decades, silver fillings, also known as amalgam fillings, were the primary choice for restoring an area of tooth decay. In fact, if you are now an adult, you may even have silver fillings still in your mouth from when you were a child. With the advancement of modern dentistry, however, dental fillings have improved substantially. Instead of amalgam, dentists now use composite resin as the go-to solution for cavity repair.
There are many advantages to choosing a composite filling or having your old silver fillings replaced with the resin alternative.
Improved Aesthetics: A major value in composite resin is that it blends naturally with your teeth because it is made of white, tooth-colored material.
Less Recurrent Decay: Because composite resin is able to provide smoother, and better bonded margins, it can help protect the tooth from future plaque accumulation and decay.
Biocompatibility: Amalgam is a type of metal that does not bond well with your teeth. Thus, you may experience cracking in your tooth over time. Composite resin, however, is biocompatible and bonds strongly to the tooth to seal the dentin layer and prevent tooth damage.
Less Invasive: Composite filling require less removal of existing tooth structure, compared to past silver filling procedures.
Safer: While often a topic of debate, amalgam fillings have been considered as a safety risk by many due to their mercury composition. Although it is only a slight amount in silver fillings, composite fillings have no trace of mercury or metal component to worry about.
To learn more about composite, tooth-colored fillings or to find out how existing mercury fillings are safely removed, please call Gilreath Family Dentistry.
Posted on behalf of Dr. Paul Gilreath IV,