Dentist-Filling...white or amalgam?

C_Mababejive

If you had to have a tooth filling in a molar (i,e back chomper) would you go for white or amalgam,,why would you make that choice and how much might you expect to pay ? thanks..

InsideInsurance

If its me then it'd be done on the NHS and so would be silver/ amalgam and cost £50.50

I did lose part of a molar and was told by the emergency dentist that the best solution would be to use a white filling as it bonds stronger than the amalgam but that it have to be done privately for which they charged ~£50 NHS fee inc some other work and around £90 for the filling itself.

I've since been told that it was wrong and if there was clinical need for a white filling then it should have been included in the NHS fee but never pursued it

brook2jack

It would depend



How big is the hole?

How often am I having to have fillings?

Do I have any medical/medication issues that may make decay more likely?

Is it somewhere that shows?

Is budget a problem?




A small hole in someone who has very little decay may well be better done in white and may well be done on the nhs.

A large hole in someone who regularly has fillings or who has medical issues that make decay an issue may very well not be best done in white, amalgam or even another solution may be better.

A dentist is the best person to ask what would be the best for your mouth and health.

As to cost ... White fillings take longer , need care and in the hands of a master who uses stains etc to totally customise can be a work of art. £50 to £150 per filling is around average.

Toothsmith

InsideInsurance wrote: »

If its me then it'd be done on the NHS and so would be silver/ amalgam and cost £50.50

I did lose part of a molar and was told by the emergency dentist that the best solution would be to use a white filling as it bonds stronger than the amalgam but that it have to be done privately for which they charged ~£50 NHS fee inc some other work and around £90 for the filling itself.

I've since been told that it was wrong and if there was clinical need for a white filling then it should have been included in the NHS fee but never pursued it

'Best solution' and 'clinical need' are not the same thing!

If you lose a tooth the 'Best solution' is generally an implant. Clinically, you may not actually 'need' anything in the gap. A plastic denture will answer the 'clinical need' if you do.

j.e.j.

I'd try a white one, but I'm not sure if they last as long.. You pay a bit more, maybe about £80 as opposed to £60-ish for a silver one.

Toothsmith

j.e.j. wrote: »

I'd try a white one, but I'm not sure if they last as long.. You pay a bit more, maybe about £80 as opposed to £60-ish for a silver one.

They last just as long if done well, and placed appropriately.

They are worse than useless if done badly.

C_Mababejive

Toothsmith wrote: »

They last just as long if done well, and placed appropriately.

They are worse than useless if done badly.

Yes, ive been doing some reading on this as im about to have it done on Friday (eek..) Now i have some older molar fillings which were done when i was a lot younger courtesy of the NHS dentist. Maybe 10 years back i had one removed and replaced with white as dentist advised.

This one is new never done before and probably small upper jaw molar.

I'm leaning toward white. I guess part of the success is being a good patient ? Keep your gob open wide/let the dog see the rabbit and dont flinch or faff about..

brook2jack

The success rate is due to how well placed the filling is ie is the cavity kept dry during placement , is the bonding done well and filling placed properly and in increments. Placing a white filling takes a lot longer than amalgam.

The other part of the success rate is the patient. A white filling placed in someone who has active decay going on , ie has not adapted their diet etc , will last a much shorter time than amalgam placed in the same person.

C_Mababejive

brook2jack wrote: »

The success rate is due to how well placed the filling is ie is the cavity kept dry during placement , is the bonding done well and filling placed properly and in increments. Placing a white filling takes a lot longer than amalgam.

The other part of the success rate is the patient. A white filling placed in someone who has active decay going on , ie has not adapted their diet etc , will last a much shorter time than amalgam placed in the same person.

Do you mean "active decay" in the mouth in general or in the tooth we are filling?

Is there such a thing as no decay or are we all simply doing our best to limit the gradual progress of decay?

Chewing sugar free gum after eating..wouldnt just drinking some water have the same effect?

brook2jack

I have patients in their 90s who have never had a filling. I also have patients who used to need fillings every 6 months or so and now no longer need fillings.

Active decay anywhere in the mouth is not inevitable indeed the early signs of decay in a tooth can be reversed if someone changes their diet and cleaning habits.

Chewing stimulates saliva production. Saliva has many enzymes and buffers which help neutralise acid produced by eating or drinking something sugary. Water is just water. Much better for you than many drinks but not a lot of help after eating or drinking something sugary.

However much gum you chew though won't help if you eat or drink something sugary /starchy more than 3 times a day.

C_Mababejive

#10 I guess its almost impossible to avoid sugars these days be they natural or otherwise. I mean, if i take fruit or a squeezed orange drink in my lunch box, its sugar,even eat some baked beans,sugar in it,so much food has been adulterated.

I guess the problem can only get worse with the reduced availability of NHS dentistry.