Natural Looking Dental Fillings

Tooth coloured fillings as an alternative to amalgam at our Epsom dental practice.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, dental fillings are one of the most common procedures that we carry out. Providing that dental decay is detected in its early stages, a small filling is usually all that is necessary to restore the tooth, but even a small filling can spoil the appearance of a tooth where amalgam is used.

This material, a combination of metals including silver, tin, copper and mercury is extremely strong but does have the disadvantage of being very dark in colour, and therefore very visible, especially on teeth at the front of the mouth.

At the Clock Tower Dental Clinic in Epsom, we offer an alternative by using tooth coloured materials which are made of powdered glass, ceramic and a resin base. Previously considered inferior to amalgam from a strength perspective, advances have now been made and these “cosmetic” fillings are now much more robust than they once were. For larger rear fillings though, amalgam is still considered stronger, or, alternatively, an inlay or onlay can be made which offers a more aesthetic appearance as well as offering strength for the rear teeth where food is ground up when we chew.

No more dark coloured fillings

Many people opt for tooth coloured fillings when a new one is needed but our Surrey dental practice also offers amalgam filling removal for patients who wish to replace their dark coloured fillings, either due to perceived health concerns or for cosmetic reasons. This is a safe procedure performed by our dental team, who will replace your fillings with composite ones in a shade that matches your natural teeth. It is generally agreed that a smile is one of the first things that people notice when we first meet them and can create important initial impressions. Even if we have had a teeth whitening procedure to give us a great smile, if dark amalgam fillings still show, this could certainly detract from our appearance.

Another advantage of the tooth coloured fillings is that this type of filling is bonded to the tooth and therefore less preparation is typically needed than with an amalgam filling. In many cases, this means that a little more of the natural tooth can remain intact.

Whilst official health guidelines in the UK suggest that amalgam fillings are safe, if you have concerns or just wish to replace them with nicer, tooth-coloured versions, we are here to help with safe procedures for removal and re-instatement.

If you are interested in having mercury free fillings placed or your amalgam versions removed at our Surrey dental practice, why not call us today to arrange a consultation to discuss your needs.

The Clock Tower Dental Practice can be contacted by calling us on Epsom 01372 720136.