Most people have fillings of one sort or another in their mouths.

White fillings have always been considered less long-lasting than silver amalgam fillings. But there are now new materials available that are comparable to silver amalgam, and these are proving to be very successful. The life expectancy of a white filling can depend greatly on where it is in your mouth and how heavily your teeth come together when you bite. Your dental team can advise you on how long your fillings should last.

Nowadays fillings can be natural looking. Many people are more conscious about the way they look, so they don’t want silver fillings that show when they laugh or smile.

It is usually best to change fillings only when your dental team decide that an old filling needs replacing. If so, you can ask to have it replaced in a tooth-coloured material.

Some dentists prefer not to put white fillings in back teeth, as they are not always successful. One way around this would be to use crowns or inlays, but this can mean removing more of the tooth and can be more expensive.