Here at Lister House Dental, we see many patients who are self-conscious about their smile due to existing silver fillings. Metal or amalgam fillings have often been the treatment of choice in treating cavities and repairing tooth damage, but nowadays, our Harlow patients are looking to restore their smile with a more popular natural-looking, treatment in the form of white fillings.
White or composite fillings are comprised of a tooth-coloured plastic and glass composite, the durability and versatility of which are perfect for restoring decayed teeth, or for cosmetic improvements such as replacing old silver fillings or repairing minor damage. Unlike its amalgam counterpart, this material can withstand thermal stresses and can be colour matched to your existing teeth!
The process of removing amalgam fillings can release the mercury contained in the metal, so this procedure must be undertaken with the utmost care and by skilled professionals. The team at Lister House Dental are on-hand to assess your suitability for this treatment if you are considering replacing your metal fillings, and you can rest assured that our experienced dentists will only carry out this treatment if it is safe to do so.
Where composite fillings are used to support your natural teeth from further decay, your Harlow dentist will be able to save as much of your existing dentition as possible because less drilling of the tooth is required! During treatment, we will prepare the tooth and build up the composite material in layers, typically using a specialised light source to harden each layer and bond the material to the tooth enamel. This bonding ensures that the resin will stay firmly and securely in place for a long-term, natural-looking solution to damaged teeth.