White Fillings in Bristol

White dental fillings now available at our Bristol dental practice

Most of us will be familiar with the fillings that we have had in our teeth, often for many years and most likely made from amalgam. This is a mixture of metals, including mercury, and a binding agent. This type of filling has proven to be strong over the years and can withstand a great deal of pressure, which is especially useful for fillings in the rear teeth which do much of the hard work when eating.

The downside of these fillings, of course, is the colouring. Each time we laugh or smile, we reveal a dark grey patch in our mouth. This can cause us to lose our confidence and even, in some cases, cause us to shy away from social situations.

Tooth Coloured Fillings

The good news is that there are now tooth coloured fillings available to replace the old style amalgam versions. For years, these dental composites were deemed unsuitable for most fillings and especially for those in areas such as the rear teeth where a lot of force would be used to bite down on food.

The reason for this is that, previously, the composite filling would simply not stand up to the task and would break, resulting in the fillings having to be repeated a number of times. Recent research though has led to a new type of tooth coloured composite filling which is nearly equal in strength to amalgam.

At Beau Monde Dental Care in Westbury Park, Bristol, we can not only use this material to fill your teeth, but are also able to colour the filling to match the colour of your natural teeth. Once the composite has set, no one will be able to tell that you have had a filling and you will be able to smile or laugh as much as you like.

This new composite is flexible in its use and can be used to fill a tooth but it can also be used to hide unsightly cracks or stains on a patient's teeth and can even be used to reshape any problematic teeth.

Inlays and Onlays

Although modern composites can be used on the rear teeth that do the hard work of chewing, there may be occasions when your dentist may suggest an alternative to these white fillings. This usually occurs when a very large part of the tooth needs to be filled. In some cases, this may need a crown to provide the tooth with additional strength, but in many cases, an inlay or onlay, produced in a dental laboratory may be used.

These will also be made from a tooth coloured material and will also leave a much nicer appearance than amalgam fillings would.

The Mercury factor

Whilst the results of investigations into the safety of mercury, which is used in amalgam fillings, are still the subject of some debate, there is no doubt that mercury is a highly toxic substance. Some claim that some of the mercury may leak from the fillings and be found in a patient's bloodstream. Whilst we continually monitor the findings, for the time being, the British Dental Council's advice is that it is safe to use, at least until further research has been carried out. Whilst we respect this decision, we also appreciate that some patients may have concerns about having amalgam fillings and we are pleased to be able to offer these new composite fillings.

If you would like more information, please call our Bristol practice on 0117 330 3495.