White fillings to replace metal amalgam fillings
At Forest Dental, we are proud to be a mercury-free practice, using only tooth-coloured composite material (commonly referred to as “white fillings”) to fill teeth. These fillings blend in perfectly with the natural colour of your teeth, as several shades of composite material are available and your dentist will pick one that closely matches your tooth colour.
If you have old, worn or obvious metal amalgam fillings that make you feel self-conscious about smiling, we can also remove these fillings and replace them with new tooth-coloured composite fillings – a fast, effective and safe way to restore your confidence in your smile.
Once upon a time, metal amalgam was the only option for patients who needed fillings. While it is very strong, it can also be very obvious. White fillings used to be thought of as less strong than their metal counterparts, but thanks to advances in dental techniques, technologies and materials, white fillings are now considered very strong and durable, and suitable for use anywhere in the mouth. They are made of a composite of resin and tiny particles of glass, and will last you for many years with proper care and regular dental visits.
For patients with larger cavities in their teeth, your dentist may recommend fitting tooth-coloured inlays or onlays. These are made from porcelain and fit into (inlay) or on to (onlay) a tooth. They are in many ways a half-step between a filling and a crown – ideal when the tooth requires more support than a standard white filling can provide, but enough of the tooth structure is still intact to avoid the need for a crown.
White fillings are usually placed under local anaesthetic. Your dentist will carefully remove all areas of decay from your tooth before placing white filling material – matched to the natural colour of your tooth – in the cavity.