Is It Time To Replace Your Amalgam Fillings?

When Should I Replace My Silver Fillings?

1. Decay is present around your exisiting filling.  When you visit your dentist on Commercial Blvd. for your dental checkup and they discover decay around your filling, the filling and surrounding decay will need to removed and replaced with new filling material. Left untreated, the decay will continue to destroy the tooth structure leading to toothache and possible need for root canal treatment and crown to restore your tooth's structure and function.  It is much less painful and costly to replace a filling discovered early than to treat a tooth that has been neglected due to missed dental checkups.

2.  Your filling is damaged. If you experience pain when you bite down or have felt a piece of old filling material fall out, schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible.  If part of your filling is missing or your filling is otherwise damaged, bacteria can attack your tooth and lead to decay and infection.

3. Your fillings are more than 15 years old.  While amalgam fillings are very durable, lasting 10-15 years or more, they do not last forever and do need to be replaced.  If your filling is more than 15-20 years old, your dentist may suggest replacing them before a problem occurs.

4. You are unhappy with the appearance of your silver fillings.  Amalgam fillings are silver in color and can be unsightly, especially when placed in teeth near the front of you mouth. If you are unhappy with the appearance of your amalgam fillings, you may want to consider replacing them with tooth-colored composite fillings.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) National Health Center for Health Statistics, approximately 91% of adults in the United States have at least one dental filling.  Dental fillings are the most commonly perfomed restorative dental procedure.  Dentists have been using amalgam fillings for over 150 years because they are durable, lasting 10-15 years with proper care.  While the mercury levels in amalgam are considered safe by the American Dental Association (ADA), some patients are uncomfortable with or have had allergic reaction to amalgam.  Composite filling material has been used in dentistry since the 1960s and has grown in popularity with patients as well as dental professionals.  While amalgam fillings are less expensive and last longer than composite fillings, patients prefer the tooth colored restorations compared to the  unsightly silver-gray amalgam fillings. Dental professionals have seen great advances in the materials used for composite fillings in both appearance and functionality to the point where many dental clinics only offer composite fillings.  

If you have silver fillings in your mouth and are unhappy with them, call Excellence in Dentistry at 954-928-1666 and schedule an appointment for a dental checkup.  Dr. Nancy Rotroff and Dr. Gerard Wasselle will exam your teeth and that evaluate your need to replace your dental fillings. Select a top rated dentist in Fort Lauderdale for all of your dental needs by scheduling with Excellence in Dentistry.