The trouble with fillings is that we get most of our tooth decay when we are kids. This is because we have not yet mastered the art of toothbrushing and getting into all those corners round the back teeth. It’s also because we haven’t mastered the discipline to stand at the bathroom sink for 2 minutes twice a day.

Goodness knows, it’s hard enough as an adult, let alone as a 6-year-old in a world of far more exciting things to do.

So, it’s not unusual to need a filling almost every time we go to the dentist, especially if we can’t resist a sugary snack, and which child can?

This means that by the time we are adults, most of us have quite a collection of dark, glinting amalgam fillings in our mouths, and every time we laugh or yawn, there they are, for everyone to see.

Do you really want everyone to know how many fillings you’ve got? You don’t have to, if you get white fillings instead.

Replace amalgam fillings

One way people upgrade their smile is to have all their old amalgam fillings removed and replaced with white fillings. At Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton, we do this with a great deal of care, so that you don’t accidentally swallow any of the old fillings. Amalgam contains mercury, which is toxic, so we are very careful to remove every last bit before we refill the cavity with white fillings made of composite resin.

This is mixture of glass and plastic. White fillings have got stronger and stronger in the decades since they first became available and are now as strong, if not stronger than amalgam.

They also have the advantage of being able to be sculpted. This means that when you have a white filling put in, we can shape it so that you get the chewing surface of your tooth back. This is not possible with amalgam, which lies flat within the walls of the tooth.

We can replace all your fillings in a few appointments, or we can do them one at a time as each amalgam filling wears out.

Come in and have a chat about it.

What is your reaction when someone you know throws back their head to laugh and you see rows of grey fillings in their mouth? Perhaps you think ‘Blimey, they ate a lot of sweets when they were a kid’. Maybe you feel quite glad you don’t have to kiss them. Maybe you think about your own grey metal fillings and wonder if they are so obvious too.

That’s the trouble with amalgam fillings. They give the game away. Every sweet, every night you didn’t brush your teeth as a kid is emblazoned on your molars, maybe even your front teeth too, for everyone to see for all eternity. Or are they? Have you ever thought about going from silver to white fillings in Sutton?

Here at Benhill Dental Practice, we can change your old amalgam fillings for tooth-coloured composite resin fillings, and they will be just as good, if not better.

Durable

It is true that when white fillings came on the market a couple of decades ago, they weren’t as strong as amalgam fillings, but those days are gone and now white fillings are just as durable as silver ones.

Bonded

As well as that, white fillings bond with your tooth. Amalgam, on the other hand, is packed into the cavity as tightly as possible, but there is still a tiny gap around the edge into which decay-causing bacteria can sneak, especially as the filling ages.

Stronger teeth

We don’t have to remove as much healthy tooth material when we put in white fillings. This means that more of your tooth structure is intact, making it stronger.

Sculptable

White fillings are put in in layers and then cured hard with a UV light. Once the layers have been built up, we can use tools to sculpt them and give you back your chewing surfaces. We can’t do this with silver fillings, which lie flat within the tooth.

We can either replace your amalgam fillings in a safe procedure, all in one go, or we can do them one at a time as the old fillings age and crack.

Ask us about white fillings next time you come in for a check-up.

How do you feel when you are with someone and they throw back their head for a really good laugh and show you all their fillings, neatly lined up in a dark glinting row of grey? Don’t you feel just a tiny bit icky when you see how many they’ve got? Maybe you have as many too and people are feeling a bit icky when you laugh. Or maybe, and even worse, you don’t laugh as loudly and satisfyingly as you’d like to because you are conscious of your many fillings.

Well, don’t despair, it’s possible to get those old metal ones replaced with white fillings in Sutton, here with us at Benhill Dental Practice.

We love white fillings

Controversy over the mercury content of amalgam fillings aside, white fillings have gotten so much better over the last couple of decades. The composite materials from which they are made are so much stronger than they used to be and so your fillings will last a lot longer than white fillings used to.

Stronger teeth

As will your teeth, because one great thing we love about white fillings is that in order to put one in, we don’t have to remove anywhere near as much healthy tooth material as we do with amalgam fillings. This may not matter so much if yours is a small filling, but if it’s a big one, you need to hang onto your healthy tooth material so that the sides of the tooth remain strong and able to withstand the powerful forces created by chewing.

Better protection against decay

The other great thing, from our point of view, about white fillings is that the material actually bonds with your teeth. There is nowhere round the edges of the filling that bacteria can sneak in and start the decay process all over again under the filling. Amalgam, on the other hand, can be tightly packed into the tooth, but it cannot bond with it. That means that there is a miniscule gap between the tooth and the filling and over time, bacteria can get in to cause decay.

Silver fillings. They sound so classy, but let’s face it, silver fillings are not really silver. They only look a bit silver, and once they are in your mouth, they actually look more dark grey to black. And not classy at all.

At Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton, a lot of our patients are moving from silver to white fillings.

Why change from silver to white?

Although amalgam is deemed safe, it does contain mercury and some people believe that amalgam fillings can lead to ill health. This is one reason why some patients choose to have all their amalgam fillings replaced with white composite fillings.

White fillings are put into the tooth in a different way from amalgam. Layers of white composite are packed into the cavity and then cured with a UV light. Once the layers are built up and the last layer is cured, the dentist can then sculpt the surface of the filling so that it has the grooves and ridges that one finds on the chewing surface of a natural molar. This cannot be done with amalgam, which only gives a flat chewing surface. When you have lots of fillings in your molars having a good chewing surface on each one can make quite a difference to processing your food, and to the pressure on each tooth.

Another great reason to go for white fillings is that the dentist only needs to remove the decayed part of the tooth. Amalgam fillings require the removal of healthy tooth tissues as well. This means a bigger hole, and thinner sides to the tooth, which weakens it. So teeth filled with white composite are stronger than those filled with amalgam, and therefore likely to last longer.

And lastly, white fillings look great. You can laugh your head off and not worry that those you are with are being treated to a display of your dental history. All they will see are rows of lovely, strong white teeth.

If you want to make the move from silver to white fillings, why not give us a call. You can do them all at once, or one by one as your old silver fillings start to wear out.

White fillings have always been considered less long-lasting than silver fillings. But, there are now new materials available that are comparable to silver fillings and these are proving to be very successful for our patients at Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton. The life expectancy of a white filling can depend greatly on where it is in your mouth and how heavily your teeth come together when you bite. Your dental team in Sutton can advise you on how long your fillings should last.

Advantages of white fillings

Since they bond to the tooth, white fillings restore most of the original strength of the tooth. Silver weakens the teeth, making them more vulnerable to breaking. Since broken teeth are very expensive to restore, white fillings can save a lot of expense in the long term.

Teeth restored with white fillings are less sensitive to hot and cold than teeth restored with silver fillings when the correct techniques are used, like those we use at Benhill Dental Practice.

White fillings are mercury-free. Mercury in traditional silver fillings, is viewed by some as being toxic.

White fillings also require less removal of tooth structure. Especially with new cavities, the size of the hole made for the filling can be dramatically smaller with white fillings.

What are white fillings made of?

White fillings are made of ceramic and plastic compounds. Because resins mimic the appearance of natural teeth, these fillings have been used in front teeth for many years. When they first were used, resin compounds weren’t strong enough to be used in back teeth. This is because high-pressure grinding and chewing require greater durability.

In the past 10 years, technology has improved enough to allow the use of resin material in your back teeth.

Are white fillings right for me?

Deciding which type of filling to use is best made by you and your dentist at Benhill Dental Practice. They will consider the size and location of the cavity, patient history, cosmetic concerns and the cost. Your dentist in Sutton will discuss all the choices available for dental fillings and help you decide which filling is right for you.

Do you still have a silver filling or two lurking in the back of your mouth? Have you not really given it much thought until now? If you are looking to swap from silver to white fillings, in Sutton, then talk to us at Benhill Dental Practice. It is an easy and safe procedure for our skilled dentist, who simply takes away your old silver filling and replaces it with a hardwearing white filling. This hardened substance will stand the test of time and allows you to eat the foods you love. Of course, you still need to look after all your teeth properly. We always recommend that all of our patients clean their teeth at least twice a day.

Why should I get them swapped?

Perhaps you don’t notice the shimmering silver in the back of your mouth, buy maybe your loved ones do? Would you not like to open your mouth for that hearty laugh, knowing all they will see is a mouth-full of white? If so, we have the solution for anyone in this position living in Sutton; silver to white fillings is a growing trend! Come and modernise your teeth and smile, you never know what else might change! A new modern you! Fees are very affordable and all prices for fillings and other treatments are available on our website: https://www.benhill-dental-practice.co.uk. If you are unsure about this procedure or have any questions, then please give us a call and we will help you to gather the information that you require.

Why do we need fillings in the first place?

Teeth require fillings, because an excess of sugary foods and drink cause tooth decay, which eats away at the tooth causing a hole. If teeth are cleaned regularly and thoroughly, the sugar should be removed and decay would not happen, but often this is not the case and many children and adults will have at least one filling. Today, dentists will only use the white fillings as they are the best substance for longevity and give the best look. If you still have the old style of filling, then do not despair, come and join others opting to change from silver to white fillings in Sutton.

Do you have prominent silver fillings that make you embarrassed to smile in public? Fillings made from metal amalgam are very strong and durable, but are also very obvious because they do not blend in with the natural colour of your teeth.

When they were first developed, white or tooth-coloured fillings were not as strong as metal amalgam fillings. These days things have changed; thanks to big advances in materials and techniques used, white fillings are now considered almost as strong as metal ones, and suitable for use in all areas of your mouth.

White or tooth-coloured fillings are made of a very strong composite material. When your dentist places a white filling, they will carefully select a colour of composite that matches closely to the natural colour of your teeth. This means that the fillings will blend in seamlessly to your smile and nobody will know they are there.

At Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton, we offer the option of replacing silver-coloured metal amalgam fillings with tooth-coloured composite fillings, to improve the aesthetic appearance of your smile. If your metal fillings are old, worn or discoloured, or if you just want to give your smile a cosmetic makeover, replacing metal fillings with composite fillings is an excellent option.

This is a simple and fast procedure carried out in a single appointment here at our Sutton dental practice. Your dentist will first remove your old metal fillings from your teeth, using local anaesthetic so that you won’t experience any discomfort.

If there are any new areas of decay, your dentist will also remove these and will prepare your tooth to take a new filling. After carefully choosing the correct shade of composite material, your dentist will place this in the cavity and shape it for a perfect, smooth and seamless fit. Once in place the material hardens quickly, giving you a strong, healthy and natural-looking smile.

Once upon a time, if you needed a filling your only choice was to have one made of metal amalgam. While this is a strong, durable and well-proven option, because of their silver or grey colour, these fillings could also be very obvious – particularly if they were near the front of your mouth.

White fillings have been around for a long time, but for many years were considered less strong than their metal counterparts. However, thanks to advances in materials and techniques, white fillings are now considered almost as strong as metal amalgam ones, and are suitable for use anywhere in your mouth.

At Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton, our skilled cosmetic dentists also offer the option of replacing your old metal amalgam fillings with white fillings. These are carefully matched to the natural shade of your teeth, meaning that not only will you be able to smile without a trace of metal on show, but also that nobody will notice you have any fillings at all.

This is a safe and simple procedure carried out under local anaesthetic. Your dentist will carefully remove your old metal filling and any areas of decay that may have developed since your tooth was filled, and will put a tooth-coloured filling in its place. These fillings are made from a very hard, durable composite material that is able to withstand the biting and chewing forces created in your mouth.

For teeth that have very large metal fillings or a large amount of decay, your dentist may recommend using tooth-coloured inlays or onlays, as these are better-suited to larger cavities and are a half-step between standard fillings and crowns.

Your dentist will also provide you with preventative advice to help stop any further decay developing, helping to prevent the need for any further fillings in the future.