Siver Fillings II

Comparison of siver fillings to tooth colored fillings

Siver fillings (amalgam) have been the standard for many years due to strength and ease of placement by the dentist. That has changed over the years for many reasons. The concern over the mercury in these fillings has increased despite the FDA rulings on safety. I do not recommend removal of silver fillings based soley on the presence of mercury but will replce these filings when requested by the patient. I do believe however there is a superior material (composite resin) that has the advantages of being tooth colored (esthetic), strong, wear resistant, repairable, bondable to tooth structure, and conservative in placement.

The resistance to using this material many times is related to the attention to detail that is required for success. I feel that with proper training, the outcomes are very successful. We recommend replacement of fillings when they are showing the presence of decay or of breakdown around the margin of the filling and only use composite resin.