Silver Fillings

What are they?

A filling replaces part of a tooth that has been lost because of a decay or through accidental damage. 'Silver' fillings are made of amalgam - a mixture of mercury with silver, tin and sometimes copper.

What will my dentist do?

Your dentist will :

• numb the area around the tooth
• remove any decay, together with any old filling
• remove any weak part of the tooth which might break later
• shape the hole so that the tooth holds the filling in place
• sometimes use tiny pins screws to help hold the tooth and filling together (for a larger filling)
• put a lining underneath the filling if it is very deep, to make the tooth less sensitive to temperature changes
• press soft amalgam tightly into the hole - you might hear a squeak as it goes in
• carve the filling to fit into the hole in the tooth (the dentist might put a thin metal band around the tooth while they are doing this to keep the amalgam in place while it is still soft)
• ask you to close your mouth gently on the filling to check that it is the right height and is comfortable
• polish the filling at the next visit, when it is completely hard

What are the benefits?

• A filling rebuilds the tooth so you can chew
• If decay is left unchecked, it can eat into the tooth and cause pain. The tooth might then have to be 'root filled' or taken out
• A filling can end toothache or prevent toothache developing
• Amalgam is soft and mould-able at first but quickly becomes very hard. Silver fillings are very strong so they can be ideal for black teeth where there is heavy wear from chewing.