Do I need my silver fillings replaced?
Absolutely not. Silver fillings, or amalgam, have not been shown to cause any adverse health effects. In fact, in many situations amalgam may last longer than white fillings. New fillings or fillings that need to be replaced for other reasons can often be done in white, but some teeth may need crowns to achieve this result if large areas are affected.
Online Resources
Dental Amalgam: A Health Risk? (Colgate)
Why would I need a filling?
Fillings are used to repair teeth upon the removal of decay. Alternatively, they can be used to repair fractured and chipped teeth. When a dentist identifies tooth decay, a filling may be the most common treatment to prevent further damage to the tooth. The procedure is relatively straightforward, but will most likely require the use of a drill and local anesthetic to carry out the treatment.
Possible signs of poor dental fillings
It is not easy to determine whether or not you have received a poor dental filling, unless you have been examined by a dental practitioner who may be able to confirm the same.
The following are the possible signs of poor dental fillings
- unshaped or un-smoothed fillings, that may extend on the edge of the tooth
- very large fillings, which can indicate that a crown should have instead been used to restore the tooth
- food trapping, which is when small pieces of food become trapped around the edge of the filling, or between the neighboring teeth. This is problematic, as this trapped food can then breakdown and cause tooth decay.