White Dental Fillings
West Wickham Dental Practice is a MERCURY FREE practice using only white filling material in the treatment of tooth decay and broken tooth repair.
White Fillings
What Are White Dental Fillings?
Composite tooth coloured resin is used to fill tooth cavities. In the case of larger cavities, your dentist may recommend a porcelain inlay/onlay/crown due to its higher strength and aesthetics.
White Dental Filling versus Amalgam (Silver) Fillings?
There has been much controversy in recent years in regards to the use of Amalgam in the oral cavity due to the risk of swallowing and/or inhaling the mercury within this material. The exact potential risk to the patient in use of Amalgam fillings however is yet to be confirmed as significant, and Amalgam is still widely used within Private and NHS Dental practices throughout the UK.
White dental fillings have the advantage of being completely mercury free. They are far more aesthetically acceptable as they can be matched to your individual tooth colour. White filling material binds to tooth tissue far more quickly than Amalgam so has less chance of becoming unstable and breaking apart shortly after placement. Due to the nature of the binding process of white fillings to tooth tissue, your dentist can preserve far more of your own natural tooth surface than with Amalgam fillings.
To have any dental fillings your gums surrounding the tooth will first be anaesthetized so that you will not be able to feel the dentist working on your tooth. Your teeth will then be prepared with any decay removed and the cavity shaped to sustain the dental filling. If there is a large hole the dentist may place a small stainless steel pin in place to help strengthen the tooth. The cavity will then be filled. The material used will depend on which tooth in the mouth needs treating as well as other factors such as the strength of your bite. Please be sure to let your dentist know if you would specifically like a tooth coloured filling.
By having teeth filled and treated quickly after decay or a crack is noticed the tooth will be prevented from deteriorating further and avoids the need for more extensive dental treatment.
Book your appointment online today or call 020 8776 1188 to speak with our reception staff.
