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.