Silver Dental Fillings

For filling teeth in the back of the mouth, Skarr Family Dental of Waukesha offers both silver (amalgam) and white (composite) filling material. Used by dentists for over a century, dental amalgam is the most thoroughly researched and tested restorative material placed in teeth today. It is durable, easy to use, highly resistant to wear and relatively inexpensive in comparison to other materials. For those reasons, silver fillings remain a valued treatment option for Skarr Dentistry of Waukesha and our patients. Because silver fillings can withstand very high chewing loads, they are particularly beneficial for restoring teeth in the back of the mouth where the chewing stresses are the greatest. Silver filings are also useful in areas where a cavity preparation is difficult to keep dry during the filling placement, such as in deep fillings below the gum line, and teeth furthest back in the mouth.The disadvantage of an amalgam filling is that the silver color is not as natural looking as a white filling, which matches the color of the tooth. To learn whether silver fillings are the right solution for you, contact Skarr Family Dental of Waukesha today. Whether you choose silver fillings or any other dental treatment, at Skarr Family Dental you will be making an informed choice among proven, reliable dentistry options.

Amalgam Fillings

Dental Amalgam is a commonly used dental filling that has been used for over 150 years. It is a mixture of mercury with at least one other metal. Amalgam has many advantages over other restorative material, such as low cost, strength, durability, and bacteriostatic effects.

Amalgam is used in dentistry for a number of reasons. It is relatively easy to use and manipulate during placement; it remains soft for a short time so it can be packed to fill any irregular volume, and then forms a hard compound. Amalgam possesses greater longevity than other direct restorative materials, such as composite. On average, most amalgam restorations serve for 10 to 12 years, whereas resin-based composites serve for about half that time. However, with recent improvements in composite material science and a better understanding of the technique-sensitivity of placement, it should be noted that this difference is decreasing.

There are circumstances in which composite (white fillings) serves better than amalgam; when amalgam is not indicated, or when a more conservative preparation would be beneficial, composite is the recommended restorative material. These situations would include small occlusal restorations, in which amalgam would require the removal of a more sound tooth structure, as well as in “enamel sites beyond the height of contour.”

The American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs has concluded that both amalgam and composite materials are considered safe and effective for tooth restoration.

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