White Fillings
Many patients come to or clinic to replace the old silver (amalgam) fillings. The amalgam is a material that starts to turn from silver to black as it oxidizes, and is not very aesthetic. No one likes the appearance of black spots on their molars when they laugh or open their mouth. Although the amalgam fillings have the benefit of being able to act like an inlay, filling in a large area, many people want to get them removed because they contain mercury. Today people are concerned about eliminating any potential toxins for reasons of improving their health. We can safely remove the amalgam fillings, and replace them with either white resin composite fillings, or in some cases a ceramic or resin inlay or onlay.
White fillings are made of a resin composite material that contains no metal at all, and more importantly, has no mercury content. It is an inert material that is completely safe for the human body. After the tooth is prepped, and any decay completely removed, the resin polymer is mixed, and the color matched to your existing teeth. After placing the material into the cavity, an ultraviolet lamp is used to cure and harden the resin. Then the dentist will grind down any excess, and adjust the material so that there is good occlusion for the bite of the tooth. Finally, it is polished to smooth any rough spots. When the dentist is finished, you cannot tell that there is any filling, as it will match the color of the tooth.