StoneRock Dental Care

  • About Us
    • Patient Journey
    • Testimonials
    • Our Fees
    • StoneRock Prevention and Platinum Plan Membership
    • The Gentle Dental Philosophy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Access Statement
  • Our Team
    • Ian Kerr
    • Russell Blanchard
    • Antonio de Vivo
    • Guy McLellan
    • Matthew McNulty
    • Arwa Al-Khaburi
    • Hygiene Team
    • Pawel Lasota
    • Nursing Team
    • Customer Service Team
    • Osteopath Team
    • Chiropractic Clinic
  • Treatments
    • Cosmetic Dentistry
      • Whitening
      • Bridges
      • Porcelain Crowns
      • Porcelain Veneers
      • Direct Composites – white fillings
    • Invisalign
    • Adult Orthodontics
      • Inman Aligner
    • Smile Solutions
    • Family Dentistry
    • Wedding Day Smiles
    • StoneRock Facial Clinic
      • Non Surgical Facial Treatments
      • Plasma Rich Growth Factor (PRGF) Facelift
    • Periodontal Care
    • Hygienist Care
    • Osteopath Clinic
    • Dental Health
    • Dental Pain
    • Snoring and Sleep Apnoea
    • Smoking Cessation
  • Implant Clinic
    • All on 4 Implants
    • Implant Retained Crowns
    • Implant Retained Bridges
    • Mind The Gap – Missing Teeth
    • Implant Fees
  • FAQs
    • What is Cosmetic Dentistry?
      • Cosmetic Dentistry – Frequently Asked Questions
    • Inman Aligner FAQs
    • What is a Root Canal Filling?
    • What is an Dental Implant?
    • What is a Crown?
    • What is Fibre Reinforced Composite?
    • What is a Veneer?
    • What’s in a Smile?
    • What are Dentures?
    • What is PRGF® ?
  • News
  • Contact Us
    • A Healthy Mouth, Our Top Ten Tips
    • Ask A Question
    • Patient Referral
    • Links

How to replace a lot of amalgam fillings

January 21, 2009 by Ian Kerr

Amalgam fillings have been around for over a 100 years and have helped form the foundation that modern dentistry is built on. They show amazing longevity as a restoration and are quick and cheap to provide. Unfortunately it is an inflexible material that offers no internal strength to the tooth being restored. Because they do not flex like a tooth under chewing pressure they tend to transmit all the stresses into the weakened tooth, which will lead to fractures developing. Popularity for this filling material amongst the general public has fallen dramatically as claims about adverse affects on medical health have been reported. To date no clear link with any medical condition (other than allergy to the material) has been shown but the controversy surrounding it has lead to a reduction of 50% or more in use throughout the Western world with Scandinavia now banning it’s use outright on environmental grounds (along with all other mercury containing products).

At StoneRock we do still use the material but clearly this is patient choice and all options are discussed. That said my use of it in general fillings has all but stopped over the past few years the alternative white fillings are now offering a same level of strength and wear resistance whilst being more flexible and obviously much nicer looking. We do not encourage patients to routinely change all of their existing amalgam fillings on health grounds as there is no clear scientific evidence to show the removal of old fillings leads to an improvement in any pre-existing systemic condition. That said patient choice is king and if any one requests their removal then we will discuss with them the appropriate alternatives. For the most part this will usually be direct white fillings or, where the tooth is in need of extra support, cast restorations such as crowns or overlays. A new addition to this list is the fibre reinforced composite filling, which utilises the extra strength provided by a mesh of glass fibres placed under the filling to reduce the risk of tooth fracture.

The case below gives an example of all of the above options and was carried out because of teeth breaking and being sensitive around old amalgam fillings. The work was completed over 2 visits and has given the patient a very comfortable and durable set of restorations that will strengthen the remaining teeth. The work was carried out under a device known as rubber dam that isolates the teeth from the rest of the mouth and prevents any water or debris spraying to the back of the patient’s mouth making the whole process much more comfortable.

upper-arch-before-cropped.jpg

rd-before-cropped.jpg

upper-arch-after-cropped.jpg

If you would like to know more about the techniques used here or would like information about changing any of your old fillings then please do not hesitate to contact us on 01580 752202 and we will be happy to help.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Clinical Cases

About Ian Kerr

Dr Ian Kerr BDS qualified in 1989 from Newcastle University Dental School and has worked ever since in both private practice and hospital settings. Following a short stint in a busy general practice in the North East Dr Kerr went to live and work in Trinidad, where he learnt a wide range of surgical skills and developed an interest in the treatment of tempero-mandibular joint dysfunction (TMD). On returning to the UK in 1994 Dr Kerr worked in a prestigious private practice in Bromley in Kent. During his time there he completed extensive post graduate training in advanced restorative techniques and further advanced his interest in TMD.

Sign up to our newsletter

Sign up to the quarterly StoneRock newsletter, to be kept informed of our latest news, events and special offers plus educational pieces about dental health.

Connect with StoneRock

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Search

Latest News

  • LLM by Research for Ian Kerr BDS MSc
  • Invisalign
  • Invisalign Open Evening May 10th

StoneRock on Facebook

This message is only visible to admins.
Problem displaying Facebook posts.
Click to show error
Error: Server configuration issue

About StoneRock Dental Care

StoneRock Dental Care is a stunning dental practice in Hawkhurst, Nr Cranbrook on the Kent and East Sussex border. We provide every level of care, from routine family dental visits to complete cosmetic dental makeovers, including dental implants, teeth whitening, veneers, bridges and other cosmetic dental and facial aesthetic techniques.

We know how hard it can be to choose a dentist and we know how tough it can be to decide what treatment is right for you, therefore we put your comfort and your well being at the heart of every treatment that we provide.

You can contact us on 01580 752202 or info@stonerock.co.uk

Latest News

  • LLM by Research for Ian Kerr BDS MSc
  • Invisalign
  • Invisalign Open Evening May 10th
  • Administration Manager Job Role
  • Qualified Dental Nurse
  • Receptionist Job
  • Children’s Dental Health
  • Trainee Dental Nurse

Follow us on Twitter

  • StoneRock remains open. Currently there are no restrictions with regard to medical treatment, it is both safe and e… https://t.co/Envx37AI7Fover a year ago
  • https://t.co/Mhzk0GyGLN https://t.co/9zQs4dijTvover a year ago
  • https://t.co/DZlEnyMPmv https://t.co/DoIs1YjNvEover a year ago

© Copyright 2023 StoneRock Dental Care, All Rights Reserved · Legal · Cookie Policy · Site by Nick Ebdon

StoneRock Dental Care is a trading name of SR Moors Limited · Registered Office: Stonerock House, High Street, Hawkhurst, Kent TN18 4AG · Registered in England and Wales, Number: 6896953