A 42-year-old member asked:
What color are amalgam fillings?
4 doctor answers • 10 doctors weighed in

Dr. Sharon Perelmananswered
30 years experience
Amalgam: Amalgam a fillings are silver in color. Sometimes if they become tarnished they may look black. There are other options available that are tooth colored such as composite material or porcelain.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Howard Banneranswered
Dentistry 49 years experience
Silver to grey-black: New amalgam fillings are usually a bright silver color. As the amalgam filling ages, it may start to darken and usually will turn a dark vgrey to black color towards the end of its clinical life.
5.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

Dr. Allan Hawrylukanswered
Dentistry 20 years experience
Silver: They are a darker silver colour.
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

Dr. Don Millneranswered
Dentistry - Cosmetic 44 years experience
Dark silver to black: Mercury silver "amalgam" fillings range from light silver when placed and as they get older they tarnish and turn black brown. Bottom line they look black compared to the tooth's white enamel.
4.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 37-year-old member asked:
What should I do about an amalgam filling?
6 doctor answers • 10 doctors weighed in

Dr. Jeffrey Goldsteinanswered
Cosmetic Dentistry 34 years experience
Why?: What you should do depends on what you believe. If you feel there is something undesirable about this particular filling material- the way it looks or what it's composed of, have it removed and replaced with a different material.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. James Beck commented
Dentistry 12 years experience
I have several amalgam fillings in my mouth that have held up just fine for years. I don't plan on doing anything about them.
Dec 19, 2012

Dr. Robert Kwok commented
Pediatrics 34 years experience
The American Dental Association (ADA) says: dental amalgam is considered a safe, affordable and durable material that has been used to restore the teeth of more than 100 million Americans. It contains a mixture of metals such as silver, copper and tin, in addition to mercury, which binds these components into a hard, stable and safe substance. Dental amalgam has been studied and reviewed extensively, and has established a record of safety and effectiveness.
Feb 10, 2013
Last updated Apr 5, 2014
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