Stonewall dentist

More than 90% of adults in the US have experienced tooth decay, which is generally treated with a filling. Older fillings used a silver-colored metal material, and it’s still in use at some offices. Here at Cormier Family Dentistry, we prefer instead to use white fillings. What’s the difference? Why do we prefer the white fillings for our patients?

Silver fillings are made of mercury amalgam

The older fillings are made of a mixture of metals, including mercury. The mixture is known as amalgam. These fillings are extremely durable, and also cost somewhat less than white fillings. However, they have a number of potential problems. The primary one is aesthetic. Silver fillings are very obvious in the mouth, because they look nothing like natural tooth tissue. Even when placed in the molars (the back teeth), they may be visible when speaking or laughing.

This is the primary reason that many people prefer white fillings over amalgam ones, but there are other problems with amalgam as well. Because they’re made of metal, amalgam fillings expand and contract with temperature. This can lead to damage to the tooth tissue around the filling. The metal does not bond to the tooth tissue, and so it’s sometimes necessary for the dentist to remove some additional healthy tooth tissue simply to create a shape for the filling that will not allow it to fall out of the tooth. In addition, some people have concerns about the health effects of mercury, and would prefer to avoid having it in the body. (The FDA has concluded that there is no evidence that the levels of mercury found in these fillings are unsafe, but some people still prefer to avoid it because there are still unknowns in the research.)

White fillings are made of composite resin

By contrast, white fillings are made of a synthetic material known as composite resin. It’s applied to the tooth as a liquid, then hardened with a light. It isn’t quite as hard as mercury amalgam, but is still a very durable material.

Although we refer to them as “white fillings,” composite fillings actually come in a range of specific colors, much like natural teeth do. This allows your dentist to precisely match the shade of the surrounding tooth tissue. When this is done well, the resulting filling will blend in so well that it will be virtually undetectable.

The biggest benefit of composite fillings is aesthetic. They look nearly identical to natural tooth tissue, so your fillings will not affect the appearance of your smile. In addition, white fillings cause less damage to surrounding tooth tissue over time, as they don’t change size in response to temperature. Because they are able to bond to natural tooth tissue (which amalgam fillings do not do), they also may require less natural tooth tissue to be removed than with a metal filling.

Stonewall dentist

Here at Cormier Family Dentistry, we’re strongly committed to offering our patients only the best in oral health care. That’s why we use white fillings (made of composite resin) for our patients. If you’re looking for a dentist in the Shreveport area (including Keithville, Stonewall, and surrounding areas), we are currently accepting new patients and would be very happy to meet you. Contact our front office to schedule your appointment.