Family Dentistry of Seneca's logo shows a family of teeth because we provide dentistry for the whole family.

Family and Cosmetic Dentist in Seneca, SC - Josh Murphy, DMD

FillingsSilver Amalgam Fillings
Silver amalgam fillings are sometimes used for back teeth to give them extra strength.
Fillings, General Dentistry

Silver Amalgam Fillings

Amalgam or silver fillings are a cost-effective way to treat decay in back teeth. In patients with less than stellar hygiene, amalgam fillings will serve a much longer period than composite fillings.

What’s normal after getting a silver filling?

Generally, silver fillings will have mild to moderate sensitivity to hot and cold for a period of up to a few weeks after placement.

Your bite should feel normal after the numbing medicine wears off. If you feel any “tall spots,” be sure to let us know so we can adjust it.

It takes about 24 hours for the material to fully harden, so be gentle with a new silver filling for the first day or so. Chew on the other side, and avoid hard or crunchy foods the first day.

 

Do Amalgam fillings contain Mercury?

Yes. Amalgam fillings contain a variety of metals including mercury, silver, tin, copper, and nickel.

Do you still place amalgam fillings?”

Sure.  In the right circumstances we do. 95% of our fillings are white, but there are a few cases where the old fashioned stuff outperforms any other material that exists today.

I have two myself because they are the long lasting, predictable, and cost effective.  I have two.

My filling looks grey

Amalgam fillings aren’t particularly aesthetic. We can either take out and replace the silver amalgam with a white composite filling or polish the dull gray amalgam so it has a more reflective silver surface.

Do Amalgam fillings cause _______ disease?” Nope. Study after study after study has failed to produce a link between amalgam and any particular disease.

Don’t get the idea that we love the stuff. We don’t. It’s not as pretty as all the other options out there. We just don’t want folks thinking they’re going to cure (insert disease here) by having us take out all their amalgam fillings. If an old amalgam is still in good condition, the best thing to do is usually leave it alone. Taking out an old amalgam can temporarily raise body levels of mercury.

I still don’t want an amalgam filling” OK. There are other options out there.