Porcelain Fillings

Silver mercury fillings (amalgam) will soon be a thing of the past. Dr. Coleman uses no mercury fillings, and instead uses porcelain inlays or dental bonding to fill caries (cavities).

Porcelain inlays create more natural-looking fillings. In fact, they’re so natural-looking that they can only be distinguished from tooth enamel on close examination. In addition, Dr. Coleman can help you by replacing older, failing amalgam restorations.

Silver-mercury amalgam fillings are unattractive, making you uncomfortable when smiling or speaking. In addition, they can be detrimental to your teeth. Metal is extremely reactive to hot and cold, and expands and contracts much faster than tooth enamel when exposed to changes in temperature. Thus, the filling can actually crack your tooth when heated, or pull away from the tooth when cooled. Either case can allow harmful bacteria to get beneath the filling, causing decay. In addition, amalgam fillings are just jammed into the tooth, not actually bonded to it, creating areas around the filling where food and bacteria can accumulate.

Dr. Coleman insists on using porcelain inlays and onlays for both health and cosmetic reasons. Mercury-free dentistry is both more attractive than metal, and better for you. While silver-amalgam fillings can decrease the strength of your teeth, porcelain inlays and onlays can bond to your teeth, holding them together and providing significant strengthening.
For more information, consult our Porcelain Fillings Questions.