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Silver fillings are also known as amalgam fillings. Amalgam is an alloy (mixture) of silver, tin, zinc, copper and mercury. Amalgam fillings are used to fill the holes in your teeth created by decay. They are usually placed in your back teeth where they are not easily seen.
Amalgam fillings have been used safely and effectively for more than 150 years.
We use fillings to replace part of a tooth that has been lost due to decay or accidental damage. They rebuild your tooth so you can chew better. They can also help end toothache you might be having or help stop you from getting one.
We will explain further what will happen during the procedure and the expected outcome. You will have a local anaesthetic injection in your gum to numb the area around the tooth you are going to have filled.
On your first visit, we will use various drills to remove any decay, old fillings or weak parts of your tooth which might break later.
To hold the filling in place, we will shape the hole left by the decay in your tooth.
If your tooth is badly broken, we may need to place a small pin in it to help secure the filling.
We will then pack the soft amalgam into the hole. As the amalgam is hardening, we will carve and shape it to blend in with your tooth and the opposing tooth so you can bite together normally.
To ensure that the filling is the right height and feels reasonably comfortable, we will ask you to close your mouth gently.
On your second visit, when the amalgam has set and the filling is harder, your dentist will polish it.
You will usually need up to two appointments lasting approximately 30-60 minutes each, the first to prepare your tooth and to do the filling, the second to polish the filling.
Amalgam fillings are very strong so they can withstand the grinding and chewing you normally use your back teeth for. They can last for many years.
We will let you know if you need to prepare for the procedure. Please eat normally before your appointments.
Your newly filled tooth might be sensitive to hot and cold for a short time. Please note that most of the mercury you are likely to take into your body in your lifetime comes from what you eat, especially fish such as tuna. A tiny amount of mercury can be released, but this is not currently considered to be of practicable importance to most people. A very small number of people are allergic to the metals in amalgam and may need to have a different filling material. Please tell us if you have any allergies.
We can use composite ‘white’ fillings instead. These are reasonably strong but not nearly as hard wearing as amalgam.
Composite fillings are tooth coloured and are made from powdered glass quartz, silica or other ceramic particles added to a resin base. We will try to match the shade as closely as possible to your existing teeth, but composite fillings can often become stained over time.
We can use glass ionomer fillings which form a chemical link with your tooth. Glass ionomer fillings are semi-translucent, non-irritant and vaguely tooth-coloured. They may also release fluoride, which helps to prevent further tooth decay. This type of filling is, sadly, fairly weak, so we usually only use it on baby teeth and non-biting surfaces, such as around the necks of the teeth.