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.