If you have silver fillings that are over 15 years old, you probably have serious tooth damage or severe, undetectable decay. There is little doubt that these fillings should be replaced with either crowns or tooth-colored fillings. If you have silver (mercury) fillings which are less than 15 years old, you will probably need to get them replaced by the time they turn 15. If they are diagnosed to be defective by a clinical and radiographic examination, you would be wise to replace them before any further decay or damage is done to your teeth.

Dr. Parviz Azar-Mehr, a Prosthodonist and Professor of Clinical Dentistry at the University of Southern California, explains why these silver or mercury amalgam fillings can be detrimental. "Amalgam is metal, therefore it is radio opaque (X-Rays cannot go through it). Consequently if there is decay under the amalgam filling, it may not show on the X-Ray."

That can lead to problems that are even worse than the original cavity the amalgam was meant to treat. Amalgam tends to cause cracks in the tooth structure around the metal filling. If the cracks begin to break, a root canal or extraction will be necessary.

For many decades, amalgam fillings offered excellent restorative qualities compared to the only alternative, which was extraction. Now, dentists like Dr. Azar-Mehr can use tooth-colored fillings. These are more beneficial because they are bonded onto your teeth, and they are more esthetically pleasing because your smile will be all white and no one will know you have ever had a cavity.

Dr. Azar-Mehr is a dental specialist with postdoctoral training from London University, New York University and the University of Michigan. Dr. Azar-Mehr has taught dentistry for over 25 years. Presently, Dr. Azar-Mehr teaches in the advanced Prosthodontics at USC School of Dentistry and his private practice is in Los Angeles, California.

A beautiful smile is always quick to that catch our attention when we meet another person. Los Angeles dentist, Dr. Azar-Mehr, offers increasingly better ways to brighten your smile or repair any defects that make your smile less than vibrant.

When appearance is important to you, you may want Tooth-Colored Fillings for your cavities or for repairing stained, chipped or irregular teeth. Because they match the color of your natural teeth, Tooth-Colored Fillings are inconspicuous, and thus the fillings of choice people for people who value a beautiful smile.

Tooth-Colored Fillings were first devised in the 1960s from a composite material made up of plastic resins and zirconia/silica, but advances in technology since then have enhanced their durability. Although they were produced initially for cosmetic purposes, and used most commonly in the front teeth, they are used increasingly in the back molars that require more strength. Nowadays the Tooth-Colored Fillings used on front teeth are more polished, while the fillings used on back teeth are made with a stronger material.

Tooth-Colored Fillings, unlike silver fillings, are bonded onto your teeth. Tooth-Colored Fillings are best for small cavity restorations and perfect for stained or irregular front teeth. Properly cared-for Tooth-Colored Fillings on front teeth can last a lifetime, but on back teeth they normally last between 7 and 10 years.

If you already have silver fillings but wish that they would look more natural, you can replace them with Tooth-Colored Fillings. Tooth-Colored Fillings, unlike silver fillings, allow you to eat as soon as the anesthesia wears off.