Replacement of fillings when there is no noticeable sign of a problem?
Observations made from removing old fillings is that more than half of the amalgam fillings, without symptoms of pain, show deep fissures (under the filling). This makes a big impression when magnified (with magnifying glasses or looked at under a microscope). In the case of a tooth with a crack, if the existing, non water-tight amalgam filling is not replaced with an adhesive synthetic material or ceramic filling, or if the adhesive is not correctly done due to poor workmanship, sooner or later, in most cases, a wall or root fracture will occur (see pictures). In this scenario, even though the patient does not feel anything, a filling replacement can prevent emergencies and complex, costly treatments.
