Dr. Joseph B. Brogdon, DDS
Chattanooga, TN

White Fillings

For more than 150 years dentists have placed amalgam dental restorations, "silver fillings", in the teeth of their patients with remarkable success.  To date, this single restorative material is responsible for the health and retention of more permanent teeth than any other dental material.

What is amalgam?  Amalgam is an amalgamation, or mixture, of metals - namely silver, copper, tin, and mercury.  the generic name, "silver filling", comes from the high content of silver and mercury in this compound and the silver appearance of the material.

Due to the presence of mercury (a known human toxin in amalgam), a controversy surrounding amalgam has raged for decades within the dental profession.   The reality that a small percentage of the population may show a hypersensitivity to amalgam cannot be denied.  However, since many metals exist in this compound, hypersensitivity may be due to a metal other than mercury.  Yet, in persons who demonstrate any metal sensitivity, it is recommended that amalgam not be used as a substitute for damaged or decayed portions of their teeth.

In addition to sensitivity and the presence of mercury, silver fillings expand and contract when subjected to heat and cold.  This can lead to fractures in the tooth structure when large amalgam restorations are needed.  As a the tooth structure is compromised, the resulting treatment is a crown.

For these reasons and the benefits of alternative procedures, we choose not place amalgams.  Our filling procedure is a more functional, and durable, yet still cost effective, treatment compound called Composite.  Composite is a quartz-filled resin material which is bonded into place and becomes tooth supporting instead of weakening.  It is a more conservative procedure because less of the actual tooth structure has to be drilled away in order to place composite.  Studies have shown that the tooth is restored up to 90% of its original strength with this type of restoration. 

Due to bonding and the flexible nature of composite, it will expand and contract with the tooth in the presence of heat and cold, therefore eliminating the stress fractures of silver.  In addition, if diagnosed early, composite restorations can be used instead of crowns - a much cheaper alternative.

And finally, one of the most visible benefits of composite, is that it is tooth colored, and yields a cosmetic bonus as well.