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.