Silver Fillings

Silver Fillings (Amalgam)

If you tooth has dental decay then we can treat the hole by placing a filling. We can either place a silver or a white filling. A silver filling is called an amalgam filling and a white filling is called a composite filling. It is important to treat dental decay as soon as it is spotted to avoid it getting worst. Even if the hole isn’t giving you pain or you can’t notice it, it is important to treat it as if you catch it early you can place a filling where as if you let it get worst this is when more serious treatments are required such as extraction or root canal treatment.

Amalgam fillings are an effective, long-lasting and safe filling material; they are a silver colour so this material isn’t used for front teeth. Amalgam is made from mercury, tin, copper and silver.

The procedure of placing an Amalgam filling:

The Dentist will clean out the tooth and prepare to be filled.
The Dentist may use a ‘matrix band’ to keep the tooth structure.
The Dentist will put a liner onto the tooth to protect the nerve.
The Nurse will cure the liner to set it.
The Amalgam is then packed into the tooth and the band is removed whilst the Dentist shapes the filling.
It takes 24 hours for the Amalgam to set so we recommend that you eat on the opposite side of the mouth after having a silver filling done.