Are your fillings metal or do they match the color of your teeth? People often ask me about the difference between metal and tooth-colored fillings. It’s a good question.
When dentists fill a cavity, they first remove the decay, thoroughly clean the area, and fill the cavity with a filling material. A good filling will last anywhere from 5 to 50 years. If you’re going to have a filling in your mouth for that long, it’s fair enough to want to know what it’s made of and how it compares to other types of fillings.
The two most common filling materials dentists use are silver amalgam fillings and tooth-colored composite fillings. Let’s look at the pros and cons of each filling type and why dentists sometimes choose one over the other.
Silver Amalgam Fillings
metal-Filling
If you have a metal filling in your mouth, chances are it’s a silver amalgam filling. Silver amalgam fillings last a long time, but they require your dentist to remove more tooth structure dental vibrator.
Silver amalgam fillings last a long time.
Silver fillings are sturdy. They are a tried-and-true option that last a long time in most patients. You just can’t beat their longevity!
Silver amalgam can be easier to place dental vacuum forming machine.
The material is very forgiving in environments where other fillings could not be placed successfully. For example, most filling materials need a dry environment to be effectively bonded to your tooth, but amalgams can be placed even if your tooth is wet.
Amalgam fillings mean more tooth gets removed.
Your dentist has to remove more tooth structure ensure a long-lasting filling dental supplies. Most dentists will tell you that removing less natural tooth structure is generally better when possible.
Amalgam fillings aren’t like your natural teeth.
Amalgam fillings expand and contract differently than the tooth itself, so we sometimes see cracks in the natural tooth around a silver filling as a result of this difference in expansion and contraction. This can eventually lead to decay forming in the cracks, tooth sensitivity, or tooth breakage.
That’s just one reason why it’s important to see your dentist regularly so he or she can check out your fillings.