Is there anyway to cover up my fillings?

Ok, when I was younger I drank lots and lots of soda which ultimately cost me 20 cavities. I'm so ashamed. I'm so embarrassed when I laugh or talk people I think people are only staring at my teeth because all you see are silver fillings. Is there any way that maybe a Dentist can cover them up somehow? I've heard of "white fillings" but someone told me they only do those for the front teeth because they don't bond the teeth very well and it is also not covered by insurance.

Is there anyway to cover up my fillings?
you can have your amalgam (silver) fillings replaced for white fillings (composite).......although it is an expensive and time consuming exercise.


These days white fillings bond very well to all teeth....every dentist will have their own views on this matter though.
Reply:not true i had a white filling on my molars and i think it is impossable for them to take out an old filling and put in a new unless it is a temp filling
Reply:Dear Barbie:


There is a saying in dentistry "If people are close enough to notice your filling...then they are not interested in your teeth, they are interested in you! " :o) (That always made the staff and patients smile)


Soda does do a number on teeth, there is no way around that, but to take out perfectly good fillings to put in tooth-colored ones is time-consuming, expensive and could end up removing perfectly good tooth structure if all the silver/amalgam fillings and the coloring they leave behind is not removed completely. Not to mention that tooth-colored fillings are not as sturdy as a silver/amalgam filling. Some dentists won't put tooth-colored filling in teeth where multiple-side fillings are required. Tooth-colored fillings are a resin or plastic and wear away much quicker. They will bond to any tooth, they just don't hold up well. Also, insurance will pay the same amount for a tooth-colored filling as they will a silver/amalgam filling. A dentist will charge more for a tooth-colored filling because there is more work involved. Most insurances though only allow a filling 1 x per year on the same tooth and most insurances don't cover a filling at 100%, most insurance are at 80% of reasonable and customary and they also have a deductible of $50 (some insurances have a higher deductible)


If a dentist just covered a silver/amalgam filling:


1) the darkness of the silver/amalgam filling would just show through anyway


2) the two materials don't bond together. You can bond a tooth-colored filling to tooth, you cannot bond a tooth colored filling to silver/amalgam


3) a dentist wouldn't really even consider covering a silver/amalgam filling with tooth-colored fillings anyway, it is below the standard of care for what we are trying to do and would mean a lot of work to remove only a portion of your filling and cover it over - it just ain't done, sorry. :o)


Keep your smile, keep on smiling and don't worry so much about what others think, it is quite possible they have even more cavities than you- I do!- (one of the perks/curses of being married to a great dentist) :o)
Reply:I mean this is no disrespect, but if all you have in life to worry about is whether someone can notice your fillings then you have it pretty made.





I have a bunch of cavities too from poor oral hygiene when I was younger. I'm still kicking myself in the butt for that but there is nothing you can do. 90% of the human population have fillings (of course I'm estimating). Not only that, just think that you at least have your teeth. I saw a young patient of about 20 who had all of 5 teeth in her mouth. Be glad that you teeth are still in yours.