Changing Silver to White Teeth Fillings

I had the same problem. I had a couple redone because they were old and I wanted to get all the silver out of my mouth. One in particular took over a year to calm down. The older you get the more tender those nerves are. Just give it time...

I had my fillings replaced about two years ago & I continue to use sensitive toothpaste. If I don't, it's still rather uncomfortable. But I know these fillings are MUCH better than those old silver ones from back in the day. I've used Colgate sensitive & Aquafresh sensitive & been happy with both.

I have both silver and white fillings but they were all done as the teeth needed filling or the old silver ones broke. Perhaps having several done at once increased the sensitivity? I haven't noticed a sensitivity difference between my silver and white fillings - just keep using the special toothpaste if it helps.

@Jessica L I don't know where you're getting your info but what you said is not at all true. White fillings don't break in a few months and all fillings eventually need replacing. The silver fillings have mercury in them, and mercury doesn't belong in our mouths so even if it means repairing fillings every 10 years instead of 20, the absence of having a neurotoxin in your mouth is, IMO, worth the extra upkeep. I have resin fillings on some molars that I've had for at least 10 years and none has been replaced.

The current recommendation is to be very careful with replacing silver fillings. My dentist - who only does resin fillings because he believes that they are healthier than silver ones - doesn't recommend changing out silver fillings until there is damage or wear that warrants it. Removing silver fillings that are otherwise intact can release more mercury into the body than what would be released through chewing and can damage the teeth. So while I've had a few damaged fillings replaced, the rest are still there and all of my new fillings are resin.

You are probably just healing from the toxins in your teeth all these years. I would also sugget that you have blood work done to determine what levels of mercury and toxicity you are fighting. You may need to do some chelation therapy to get rid of the rest of your toxins. It is important to have a biodentist. Here is a site I just found that might shed some light for you: http://drlwilson.com/articles/dentistry.htm

I would definitely switch back to silver fillings. Of course white fillings look MUCH better, but they also aren't as durable and can be quite sensitive as far as the risk of breaking them goes. You will probably end up being back in the dentist in a few months having them replaced, so I would just opt back for the silver ones.

I have tooth sensitivity but I don't think it's b/c of my white fillings, (I have about 4, and have had them for about 8 years... and 2 cavities that need fillings). That is interesting, I have never heard of that. I would just continue to get the sensodyne toothpaste. I know it's a few dollars more, but I would rather have that then a bag of chips or something. ;)

I just had a root canal and 2 fillings filled last Saturday.... when I mentioned to my Dentist about the sensitivity in the last crown and Silver replaced filling he told me honestly there is a minute amount of mercury that goes in our body which is not harmful taking them out was not a good decision it will make your teeth sensitive and more brittle...Gee thanks I just had so many replaced last year.

I had that problem, and went back to silver fillings. My "sensitivity" was pretty bad.

I worked in a dentist office for many years...I would see this sometimes. The next time you go in for a cleaning, ask to have your bite checked. Sometimes, if your bite is even the tiniest bit off due to fillings, it can cause some sensitivity. It could be that the cavities were so close to the nerve that the nerve is inflamed or irritated, although I would think that it would have resolved itself one way or the other in the last 18 months. I would definitely say something to the dentist; s/he can take xrays and do a couple of things to try to figure out what's going on.
Jessica: I can assure you that composit (white) fillings are better than amalgam (silver) ones. Silver fillings are just packed into the teeth. The silver expands and contracts to cold/heat which can cause micro leaks around the fillings; meaning cavities can form below the fillings and eventually cause the teeth to break. The white fillings are actually bonded into the teeth. The material has many of the same properties as teeth, so it does not expand/contract away from the teeth; thereby making it stronger and not prone to leakage.

Good luck and I hope your teeth feel better soon!

My husband had silver fillings replaced with white a little over 3 years ago and still has sensitivity. For months it was so bad that he could literally eat nothing without excruciating pain. He drove several miles to our previous, trusted friend of a dentist to find that the dentist who replaced the fillings failed to bond them correctly. He had to have them re-done and later found that the dentist who did the original replacements had many many complaints against her and the practice as a whole. I don't know if this (bonding incorrectly) could be your issue or not or how long you have been seeing this dentist, but I would say that if you continue to have pain for too much longer, you may want to look into it. I do know some sensitivity after having this procedure is, although unfortunate, to be expected. Good luck and hope you find comfort soon!

If your experiencing sensitivity it could be because the resins that they placed is to "High", which means that they would need to just use a finishing bur and brush down the high areas. When you go in ask them to have you bite down and grind on some articulating paper and it will leave a little red/blue mark where there is a higher than normal spot. (this should be an appt free of charge)
You could also be having sensitivity because when they place silver fillings they remove more tooth than they would of with resins fillings first. So, when they removed your silver filling and placed a white resin it caused sensitivity due to the change, (like irritating your tooth) but after two weeks regardless you should not be having sensitivity.
Hope this helps~

I had mine changed many years ago and have not had any problems at all. My understanding is that they are safer.

I had a few replaced with composite- the silver ones were flaking and crumbling. I had sensitivity for about a year but I also had it to cold with the silver ones. Now I don't notice anything at all, I'd have them recheck the bond just in case and see if they can't try to reseal them.

I experienced this with a filling I had a couple of years ago. If the fillings you had replaced were on your back teeth and were a bit deep, you may have sensitivity for months. I did and had never experienced that before. Not sure why it happened. The dentist told me the filling was close to the nerve and it would take time to heal. After learning that I looked it up on the Internet and found that a dentist can put something in the hole to deaden the nerve for a while, then put the filling it. Wished I would have known that beforehand. I use toothpaste for sensitive teeth and it is worth every penny. Aquafresh makes one that isn't too expensive compared with Sensodyne and some of the pricier ones. Good luck!

I have crappy teeth. I have had many, many cavities filled and because I have a smart mom who knew mercury didn't belong in my head, I have all white fillings.
Many. White. Fillings. Lol.
When I was 16 or 17 I went in for a long overdue cleaning and had 7 cavities in my mouth. They filled them in 2 sittings.
After they were all done my teeth were incredibly sensitive. I could barely eat. Hot or cold-horrible!
I lived like that for months, figuring it was the new norm.
But then one day my mom called the dentist and took me back in...
I can't remember exactly what was wrong-but they fixed it!!!
Put more resin in or something.
I would urge you to go back and have them re-look. It can be fixed. Maybe try another dentist?
I have not had that problem since and I have had many more cavities filled. ;)
Good for you getting that mercury out of your head! My friend did it as well and had lots of things improve health-wise.

Yes!! I'm in or was in your boat. Had all mine done too (they were at least 20 yrs old).

I don't recall how long the sensitivity lasted - I assumed I was going to have to live with it so I got used to it but I'm going to take a guess and say it was a year. I still use sensitive toothpaste but not always, I just went to look at what I've been using and it's not for sensitive teeth - I thought it was - lol. If I go from hot to cold it can bother me, but only slightly - no longer the knee jerking pain. Might be worth it for you to stay with the toothpaste for sensitive teeth and maybe eventually you could just use it every other day.

Best wishes!