Tags
Amalgam, cavity, composite fillings, Cracked tooth, decay, fillings, Replacing, Replacing Amalgam Filllings, Silver Fillings
How Old are Your Amalgam Silver Fillings?
Sound Filling? – Maybe
The American Dental Association recommends against replacing sound amalgams (silver fillings). I agree. Is the tooth itself sound, though? We can’t tell. Neither a visual exam or x-rays show hidden cracks.
I have been surprised by blackened, leaking and fractured teeth under amalgams so many times in 30 years, it’s not true. I now expect those problems.
5 Good Reasons to Replace Amalgams:
(Photos of my own actual patients)
1. Age of the filling.
Old amalgams leak, wear and discolor teeth.
2. Fractures.
Normal chewing fractures teeth, more from grinding. Some amalgams expand after 15-20 years, causing hidden cracks.
3. Leakage. 
Amalgams weren’t bonded. Tooth-colored composite fillings are bonded to both enamel and dentin. This stops leakage. It’s better technology.
4. Discolored teeth. 
Most amalgam leakage turns the tooth underneath very black. It’s not decay, but it’s usually permanent and can discolor the entire tooth.
5. Extra-large size. 
Any excessively large filling weakens the tooth. Teeth with big fillings break more often than teeth with smaller fillings. Often a crown is required to add strength back. This shows the amalgam removed and cracks under both outer cusps.
It is so much better to fix a small problem than wait until part of the tooth is lost completely. Ask about replacing your old amalgam filllings. Your teeth deserve it! Take care of yourself!
W Bryon Satterfield, DDS, MAGD
General dentist in The Woodlands with excellent care, skill and judgment from decades of experience in precision practice and teaching. Things work! 281-363-1571
Visit his website: docsatterfield.com
