Fillings

We are a mercury-free practice and have been since 1997. However, many people still have silver/mercury fillings in their mouths from years past. These fillings are not particularly pleasing to the eye, and we know that by unavoidable design, silver/mercury fillings ultimately result in a weaker tooth structure. Composite resin and ceramics create fillings that are not only beautiful (or unnoticeable) but also add strength to weakened teeth. These restorations are esthetically pleasing and very strong thanks to new bonding technologies.

Disadvantages of Silver Fillings

Silver fillings have many drawbacks. The edges of the silver filling can wear down, corrode, become weak or break. This results in the tooth not being sealed and lets cavities get started once again. With age, the metal of a silver filling expands, contracts, and can split.

Silver fillings contain 50 percent mercury. They can corrode, leak and cause stains on your teeth and gums, not to mention the potential of mercury leakage into your system. Unfortunately many teeth that have had silver fillings for a long time also have cracks that have developed due to the weakened tooth having to sustain the forces placed on them over the years. These teeth many times require crowns or onlays to restore them back to full strength.

Fortunately, silver fillings can safely be replaced with Tooth Colored Restorations.

Advantages of Tooth-Colored Restorations

There are many advantages to tooth colored restorations. They are bonded to the teeth utilizing state of the art bonding technology creating a tight, superior fit to the natural tooth. This bond actually strengthens the tooth by holding the remaining tooth structure tightly together. It is also more resistant to microleakage and breakdown at the tooth/filling interface thus reducing recurrent cavity formation. And their esthetics are really something to smile about! In instances where much of the tooth structure has been lost, onlays or crowns are the better choice for protection and longevity. Today’s crowns, in most instances, can be fabricated in all ceramic which enables us to simulate natural tooth structure and it’s translucency.

The result is a beautiful smile!