Dr. Casiglia

This page provides some basic information for you about different filling options you may have.

Amalgam Restorations: These are traditionally called "silver fillings". The name amalgam simply means mixture, as these filling are a combinations of several metals. These have been used for over a century with great success: they are strong, durable, and economical.

For years now, there has been a great deal of hype regarding the mercury in these fillings. It is true, there is a small amount of mercury. However, this has never been scientifically demonstrated to legitimately cause health problems. Dozens of lawsuits have been thrown out of court for lack of evidence, and studies with tens of thousands of people show no adverse effects. If you are thinking about replacing old fillings to get rid of mercury, please talk to Dr. Casiglia first and get all the facts.

Composite Restorations: These are sometimes called "bonding" or tooth colored fillings. These materials have great cosmetic advantages and have made great strides in durability over the last few years. They are not quite as strong as amalgam when used for very large restorations, but they can last for many years if placed properly.

Composite is always used for front teeth because of its ability to match tooth shades. On back teeth, it is also the restoration of choice for smaller fillings because the doctor can remove less tooth than with amalgam. Many people choose to have old amalgams replaced with composite for the cosmetic advantages when they see the difference between the two.