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The concept of a “filling” is replacing and restoring tooth structure which was lost, or removed, due to decay, or fracture. For posterior teeth, this can usually be done when you have over 40% of the top part of your tooth still remaining after needed preparations are completed. Otherwise, building up the core of the tooth and covering with a crown is usually necessary. Building up large areas of teeth with filling material is only meant to keep you going temporarily, with reduction of normal usage.
WE USE ONLY WHITE FILLING MATERIALS. We stopped using silver amalgam materials many years ago, when questions arose about its safety.
Although still considered safe by the ADA, we stopped using it. Who knows what the future will say? We do know that the State of New Jersey has made regulations controlling dental amalgam filling material to keep it from contaminating the waterways. Silver amalgam fillings also give teeth a dark gray, sometimes black appearance. There is less sensitivity to cold and hot things with white fillings vs. silver amalgam fillings. Less tooth structure has to be removed to place white fillings.
White, composite, filling materials have brought about much more conservative tooth preparations (microdentistry).
