White fillings, also known as tooth coloured fillings, can be blended to match the natural shade of your teeth, and the composite resin used to make them can be used to restore cracked or chipped teeth, improving their strength and appearance.
Tooth coloured fillings used to be more fragile than amalgam fillings but the latest materials now available mean that they are comparable to silver amalgam in durability.
The durability and life expectancy of a tooth coloured filling depends on where it sits in your mouth and how heavily your teeth come together when you bite. Your dentist will discuss these factors and review your options before starting treatment.
If you want to know whether it’s a good idea to replace your amalgam fillings, it is usually best to change fillings only when your dentist judges that an old filling needs replacing. If so, we would be happy to replace it with a white filling.
White filling treatment and uses
Unlike silver (amalgam) fillings, white filling material sticks to teeth and can form edges, so it may be effectively used to repair front teeth that are chipped, broken, decayed or worn. It can also be used as a “veneer” to cover marks or discolouration that cleaning won’t remove. White fillings are less noticeable than silver fillings, which may turn black in the mouth. White fillings come in a range of shades so they can be matched to the colour of your own teeth. A tooth needs less preparation for a white filling than for a silver filling.
All our fillings are natural looking
Your dentist will:
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- Remove any decay, together with any old filling material, using a small, high-speed drill
- Remove any weak part of the tooth which might break later
- Wash and dry the tooth by blowing water and then air onto it
- Prepare the surface to be restored to help the filling stick better
- Coat the surface that is to be restored with a bonding agent (which acts like cement) and then place the filling material before shaping as required
- Harden the filling by pointing a bright light at it – this is called “curing” before trimming and polishing the filling as necessary
