A dental filling is one of the most commonly performed procedures in our Bridgeport Dental Office. We place mostly composite (tooth shade) fillings in our office, depending on the patient and the position of the filling, each filling is completed in about 30 minutes. On the topic of silver vs tooth coloured fillings, each has its pros and cons. Metal Fillings consisted of many alloys, and among them, Mercury. Mercury in metal fillings are not in its elemental form, so it does not react with anything inside the mouth, it is safe to use and dentists have been placing them for decades. There are several drawbacks to using silver fillings:
- silver fillings are unaesthetic. Metals will also stain your teeth over long periods of time, giving them a dark/greyish tone.
- silver fillings make your teeth more prone to fracture.
- I recommend against silver filling in pregnant moms, the same reasons why they are warned to stay away from tuna.
Dental fillings are not substitutes for dental crowns and root canals. Too often patients come to me dictating that they just want a filling and nothing else. Fillings are not meant to repair deep infections inside the tooth, fillings that are too large will often crack or break the tooth, doing more harm than good.
Although postoperative pain is normal for a few days, It is important to call your dentist if you experience any pain lasting more than a couple of days. Your dentist can help you with minor adjustments or help in identifying other underlying issues.
Avoid eating foods that may stain your white fillings the day of the procedure. Those may include the likes of coffee, wine, soy sauce, etc