Teeth Whitening and Dental Fillings

I have quite a few dental fillings. Some of them are amalgam, that I want to replace. Others are composite, which I like. But, I want to whiten my teeth so I will likely need to change the composite fillings too so that they can match. My question is what order do I do this? Is there anything else I need to know about changing fillings?

Charlie

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Dear Charlie,

 

I’m glad you wrote. I would start with the teeth whitening. That will allow you get your teeth the color you want and then you will be able to match the new dental fillings to the brighter color. There are a couple of types of professional teeth whitening. You can do at home teeth whitening. This allows you to just put the whitening gel in some custom made trays that your dentist provides for you and you wear them at a time which is most convenient for you. Obviously, the longer you wear them each day, the faster your teeth whitens, but that schedule is completely up to you.

A second option is Zoom Whitening. This allows you to whiten your teeth in one day, but you’ll do it in your dentist’s office with several short whitening sessions under the Zoom light. Once you have your teeth the color you want, then you can go ahead and replace your fillings.

The amalgam fillings that you have are made mostly from mercury. While the American Dental Association does say they are safe, mercury is a known toxin so you want to make sure that the dentist you have do the procedure knows how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. You do not want to inhale or swallow any of the mercury.

I would look for a mercury-free dentist or a holistic dentist when it comes to switching out your fillings. They will know the right safety precautions to take as well as have the equipment required to do the job properly.

This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.