Your appearance is the least of your worries….

If your teeth are filled with dark, grey metal fillings, you’ve got more to worry about than the way you look. Metal amalgams can damage teeth, plain and simple.

• Temperature sensitive amalgams expand with heat and contract with cold. This movement weakens the tooth wall, leading to fractures


• Fractures, cracks and gaps between your filling and teeth allows bacteria to sneak in, leading to tooth decay


• Amalgam fillings contain mercury which may have negative long-term health effects

It’s not uncommon to see old amalgam fillings darken an entire tooth. Unlike having stains on your teeth, bleaching will not improve this problem.

Restore strength to your teeth and beauty to your smile with white fillings

White fillings for smaller restorations are made of a composite resin material. Large fillings are made of porcelain. These materials are exceptionally strong and stain resistant. They form an actual bond to your teeth and they look extremely natural.

For larger problems, porcelain inlays or onlays may be recommended. These restorations are custom-made in a master lab then sent back to be fitted. Because of the extensive work and extra steps, porcelain restorations are generally more expensive than normal white fillings, however, the end result is stunning. 

The materials used in white fillings and restorations don’t expand and contract like amalgam fillings do, so you are not prone breaking and cracking. In fact, white fillings and restorations add strength to your tooth structure to ensure fewer dental visits in the future!

If you are concerned about the health and appearance of your teeth, Dr. Imm can replace your old amalgam with white fillings. They are a more enduring alternative to metal.

Get the best defence

Tooth-colored composite fillings and dental restoration are simply safer, stronger and more attractive than metal fillings. What’s the best treatment for your teeth? Find out by booking a consultation with Westminster dentist Dr. Gary Imm.

Keeping bacteria and decay out of your mouth safely is one of the best defences against poor oral health.

The post White Fillings appeared first on Dentist Westminster MD| Dentist Carroll County | Family Dentist | 21157 Carroll County.

Dental fillings – See you around mercury!

Though there is a great variety of cosmetic dental procedures that can help improve your health and your smile, Dr. Gary Imm still provides plain old dental fillings for his patients. The good news is dental fillings no longer have to be made out of metal or amalgam. Now you have the choice of composite, or porcelain fillings.

The old amalgam or mercury and silver dental fillings have been shown to be not as healthy as once thought. With traditional mercury amalgam fillings, dentists must drill deeply into your tooth resulting in tooth weakening up to 75%.

Additionally, as you eat or chew, amalgam fillings can separate from your teeth creating gaps that allow bits of food to get in. Over time, this trapped food begins to cause tooth decay. Very hot or cold beverages can also cause these amalgams to expand or contract causing problematic cracks in the teeth they’re intended to protect.

Say hello to the next generation of dental fillings

If you still have old mercury or metal fillings that leave you with a mouth filled with dark and ugly looking teeth, you’ll be happy to know the dentistry world has come a long way from the days of metal filings. Today metal-free and mercury-free fillings are not used by most dentists mainly because toxins from the metals in old fillings can cause an unhealthy build-up in your body, leading to numerous health issues.

There has been a significant push to remove all forms of metal from your mouth, replacing it with materials such as porcelain and composite resins.  Today’s tooth-colored composite fillings are more attractive and a more enduring alternative to metal.

Get beauty, strength, better protection

Cosmetic dentists, such as Dr. Gary Imm and his All Smiles Care team in Westminster now offers porcelain and composites replacements to your old, silver and metal fillings.

Tooth-colored composite fillings are not only safer, stronger and more attractive than metal fillings, they also last longer. They bring strength back into your teeth and beauty back to your smile!

If you are restoring a tooth for the first time, composite filling materials not only reinforce and strengthen the tooth but it will provide for greater longevity and beauty.As a rule, they are also far less destructive to the tooth. When you initially have a “white filling” it requires only minimal natural tooth removal. It not only repairs decayed areas but it also seals up weak spots so decay will not infiltrate the other surface grooves.

When you need a new filling or need to replace one, make sure you take advantage of today’s better materials to get the longest lasting, healthiest treatment you can.

The post Dental Fillings appeared first on Dentist Westminster MD| Dentist Carroll County | Family Dentist | 21157 Carroll County.