Silver (amalgam) fillings?!

[Potaytoe5]

Does anyone have experience of these? I am from a EU country and the are no longer used as they are deemed inferior and environmentally unfriendly.

Since my old filling came loose, my dentist said they will fit an amalgam one. The tooth is a molar. I was told white fillings are more difficult to fit.
I am thinking about paying privately to get a tooth coloured filling, but I am sure I had one on the NHS before and it was not amalgam! It was a molar too.

What is going on, is it NHS trying to save £? Or is amalgam really going to be better for a molar?

Dental Abuse in teen years means I have many fillings, both white & amalgam. My private dentist won't fit amalgam which is fine by me.

However, Amalgam lasts WAY longer.

Can I ask what country you grew up in, how old you are?

I'm in my 30s, have had fillings for 20+ years and not once amalgam! They were phasing it out when I was younger. I read more about it and it looks it requires more drilling and there are higher chances of cavities forming underneath!!! I am just shocked that they seem to be going backwards. I guess I'll have to fork out about £200 for this.

I think on nhs they only do white if it's a front visible tooth? That's been my experience anyway. Back teeth have amalgam

Is amalgam better or is it just cheaper though? I find it odd most countries actually phased it out, so it feels like it's just a money matter rather than any other reason....

They don't do amalgam in my country either, I've had white fillings in molars, not difficult at all.

Curious what you mean by dental abuse ?
This is cos I have a dental phobia and have avoided for years.

Dental abuse = Drinking lots of Apple cider vinegar, which was a popular health food/weight loss supplement when I was young, I didn't even realise I should use a straw. Also, younger than about 14yo I didn't brush my teeth regularly (sorry to horrify everyone). My parents didn't supervise. I reckon most the damage was from the vinegar, though.

Most my amalgam fillings happened in 1987 in California, some in 1990s in England.

I'm sorry you had struggles with your teeth @lljkk . My own parents didn't pay much attention to my (or their own) dental health, hence I now have several fillings.
@Natsku I'm from Eastern Europe and the UK seems to be miles behind with several health related procedures, deemed routine in my home country. I could write a separate thread about it!

@lljkk I only ever drank sparkling water for most of my childhood, my enamel really suffered. I also didn't got to see dentist for years at a time :(

I think amalgam fillings have a small amount of mercury in them. Please tell me if I am wrong. Drilling them out to have white fillings is a risk for the dentist (so I was told)That's why they're being phased out

I'm in Finland, definitely ahead of the UK in some ways, like sinus infections are easily diagnosed with a pen shaped ultrasound, and for dental health everyone is told to use xylitol after every meal from the moment they get teeth to help protect, and no sharing cutlery with babies to delay tooth decay bacteria getting in their mouths. And always white fillings (after first a temporary medicated filling to get rid of any bacteria and whatnot)

Decades behind in fashion though

The history and differences are outlined here:
https://www.dentalfearcentral.org/faq/fillings/

Thanks for the link @notagain2020 . I'm mostly concerned about
'Amalgam fillings require the dentist to remove healthy tooth structure.'
I've also read cavities are more likely to form underneath them.

It seems slightly dodgy the rest of the world is getting rid o them, but NHS thinks it's fine. I think I'd rather have a mercury free, less long lasting filling. I'll just pay for it if I must.

I have both. From my personal experience amalgam does last much longer and I understand they are technically easier for the dentist to place. If you can afford it and your dentist is experienced, it might be worth paying for composite.

How do I find a good dentist though? I think the NHS one I have isn't that great tbh 😭! They do private treatment at my practice too, but I'm assuming it's the same dentists?!

I talked to another NHS dentist today. Was told the silver filling might be better, as I have a deep filling and amalgam would be staying in it better protecting it from further cavities. Which goes against everything else that I've read, with them being less 'sealed' and cavities more likely!
I feel so confused now, but also still suspicious, considering I wouldn't even have an option of amalgam had I been in my home country.

If it makes you feel any better, I have a massive replacement amalgam filling in an upper molar which a private dentist who did both types chose to replace 15 years ago with another amalgam. It is still fine. Mine was a massive one though where the original filling had failed after several decades. I am assuming that your filling is maybe much smaller.

What I meant to say was that cost wasn't a factor in the decision. He was recommending the amalgam as best for the situation, as in likely to give me the best result at the time.

I'm also from an Eastern European country but had 8 amalgam fillings when I moved to the UK. While having routine appointments I asked several NHS dentists about changing my amalgam fillings to white ones in the future but all of them advised me against this.
After Covid I had to go to a private dentist as there were no NHS dentists taking on new patients in my area. The private dentist had no problems replacing my amalgam fillings to white fillings. I know that they don't last as long but at least I have the confidence now to smile and laugh without thinking about my ugly fillings. It's all about the cost.

Did you read the link @notagain2020 posted. It says quite clearly that it is composite fillings that are more likely to be less sealed and cavities form behind them and not amalgam fillings.

Can I ask in what form you take xylitol after every meal?

Also I’ve only ever had amalgam fillings, one of my back teeth is nearly 2/3 amalgam filling (long story short, I’m scared of the dentist, back tooth was cracked during tonsillectomy at 16, slowly crumbled away and somewhat disintegrated the tooth next to it hence it being mostly filling and not a lot of tooth. Ended up finally visiting dentist when I was 27 to get it sorted). That filling is now 10 years old and (touch wood) in very good shape.

I chew gum, my children have pastilles.

I read more than one link and there seem to be huge amount of downsides to amalgam fillings.
' However, because it (amalgam) doesn't chemically bond with the tooth, some of the healthy tooth structure has to be removed in order to prepare a space that will keep the filling secure. It is therefore a more invasive type of filling which weakens the tooth structure and increases the risk of tooth fractures. '