Made of Composite resin; white fillings are a safe alternative to Amalgam (mercury) fillings. Early versions were not as durable as Amalgam fillings, but that has now changed, we have been doing white fillings for over twenty years and the latest studies reflect what we have known for years; white fillings when done properly are durable and a great replacement for amalgam. When white fillings dont last as they should then its its not the material but the dentist placing them that needs questioning.
Price indication: $255 single surface, $345 for two surface, $405 for three surface, $490 for four surface and $555 for full tooth (Price is due to how many fillings are being done at once e.g. six single surface fillings could be $765) N.b these are Rob Smith’s prices; other dentists price independently.
N.B. We prefer to sit on the fence when it comes to the Amalgam (mercury) fillings controversy; studies have never proven that they are doing us damage, but there is so much that we dont know about the human body. The main disadvantage of amalgam fillings is the increasing evidence that they are directly linked to the incidence of pieces of teeth breaking off next to them; the relationship is poorly understood;
theories include;
- Metal fillings expand with age causing the tooth to split
- the wedge effect, where the base under metal fillings disolves, causing the filling to sink and split the tooth
- Because the metal fillings dont bond to the tooth, the pieces of tooth that sit next to the filling are unsupported and then easy to break off
However as we have found no advantage to doing amalgam fillings, as the white fllings are now so good (when placed properly), Rob has noticed that as his patients have gradually had their metal fillings replaced with white fillings, the incidence of tooth breakage has greatly reduced amongst his patients. This also means that Rob does alot less Crowns than he used to!
Warning: White fillings require expertise that not every dentist is trained for; choose your dentist wisely. If a dentist tells you that white fillings don’t last, then believe them as it means that white fillings don’t last when placed by them , if they don’t have confidence in them then neither should you.