Changing amalgam fillings to white?

[GentleSloth]

Has anyone done this recently, if so were your dentist quite receptive to doing it? How much did you pay per tooth?

I've done this on 2 that needed replacing, slowly but surely will replace them. I had 6 fillings and I've had 2 replaced. I couldn't find a dentist that would take the silver ones out and put in white ones

Depending on the source, there could be some lead in amalgam. Look up the meaning of ‘amalgam’.

There almost certainly is mercury in those amalgam fillings though. Not good.

Some dentists used to refuse to remove amalgam as your mouth will receive a dose of the metals contained. Removal is usually VERY carefully hoovered when they do it.

It’s criminal that amalgam is still used. White all the time here and have had all old fillings replaced.

I have some back molars that can't be replaced as they are too much filling and not enough tooth.
Luckily they are the very back...but disappointing

Just going through the process of approx £1k worth of dental treatment for various things, been wanting to sort things like enamel erosion and receding gum line for ages. Included in that are three very old amalgam fillings that are damaged and need taking out to be replaced with new white fillings, at £140 each. That’s a bit less than usual as I’m doing Denplan, was worth it given how much I’m having done over the next few weeks, if I wasn’t, not sure I would have signed up for it.

30 years for a filling to last is amazing though! May I ask what tooth this was?

Yes I think I might just do it as they need replacing, my pre molar one needs replacing so that’s what made me think of it

It was a top molar! All my teeth were filled when I was about 16 (I think I'd discovered fizzy drinks!) So actually it was 34 years old The dentist was fantastic, my parents dentist for a long time until he retired. This was the first time I'd had to have one replaced . I have regular check ups and have been expecting this for years. Been saving up lol!

I’m in a similar position and I’m 30 now. My dentist has been my dentist since i was 7, im dreading the day she retired

My NHS dentist won't do it because he doesn't think the white fillings will last as long as the amalgam ones and repeatedly redoing fillings isn't without risk. The surgery doesn't have adequate extraction to remove multiple amalgam fillings at once so it's a one at time job.

I haven’t specifically asked yet, but they have adverts all over my surgery about doing it so hopefully they let me

Good to see there's one poster here that knows about the risks.

I know my dentist does it. I've done the opposite and had a white filling replaced with amalgam!
It's a back tooth, I grind and despite wearing a mouthguard the white filling wasn't staying in
It was either amalgam or lose the tooth

Is there anything that can be done about tooth tattooing. I've had a filling changed and have the leftover grey residue. Would I need a crown and would it just look daft next to my other teeth

Go to a dentist that has experience of doing this, they need to take precautions with the spray/ dust.

Does it look better than with the amalgam filling in?

@GentleSloth Top half has hideous grey bottom half is fine. It annoys me greatly

Mines not the actual tooth so much it’s more that it looks like I’ve got a black stain between two teeth hoping if I get it removed it won’t look like that.

Fingers crossed for you. I find myself making sure people are on my other side as I'm so self conscious.

It’s horrible isn’t it - although I’m sure people don’t notice as much as we think

I had all my amalgam fillings replaced with white last year. My reasoning was that I didn't want mercury (a neurotoxin) in my mouth any longer. The exposure level may be small, but I thought it was worth paying to remove the potential problem. It cost £160 per tooth.

What teeth did you have them changed on? Was your dentist happy to do it?

Most of my molars were filled in my childhood/teens. Most are amalgam but I do have 2 or 3 white ones done in the 6th form ("the NHS is paying," said my dentist, "might as well do white.") I've not had any fillings or replacements since, so the newest is at least 34 years old. I do go to the dentist regularly (dentist was March, hygienist in May,) and they say they're sound, and I've not noticed any issues, so I don't see any reason to disturb them. The white ones are quite discoloured now, but still lighter than the amalgam ones.