Mercury-Free Fillings
A cavity is one of the most common things a dentist fixes, and it’s usually the least dramatic. A mercury-free filling removes the decayed part of the tooth and replaces it with a tooth-colored composite that bonds directly to what’s left, no metal, no dark spot when you smile. As part of our Restorative Dentistry services, it’s also a straightforward way to replace an old silver filling you’ve been meaning to deal with. Emerald Dental provides mercury-free fillings at both our Lakewood and Littleton offices.
Curious what your smile could look like in six months?
Smile Fact
Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, yet it cannot repair itself once it is lost.
What Are Mercury-Free Fillings
A mercury-free filling, also called a composite filling, uses tooth-colored composite resin to repair a cavity, chip, or other minor tooth damage without the dental amalgam used in traditional silver fillings. Composite resin bonds directly to the tooth structure, allowing the dentist to remove the damaged or decayed portion and rebuild the area while preserving as much healthy tooth as possible. The material can also be matched to the color of your surrounding enamel, helping the finished filling blend naturally into your smile instead of leaving a visible silver or gray restoration.
How Mercury-Free Fillings Work
Exam and Diagnosis.
Decay is identified through an exam and, if needed, digital X-rays, so you know exactly what’s being treated before anything starts.
Removal and Filling.
The decayed portion of the tooth is removed, and the composite is applied in layers, shaped, and hardened to match your bite. Most cavities are filled in a single visit.
Bite Check.
Your bite is checked before you leave so the filling feels right the moment you walk out, not something you have to get used to over days.
Benefits of Mercury-Free Fillings
Most patients don’t think twice about a filling until it’s the visible metal one they see every time they smile, or the old amalgam they’ve been meaning to ask about.
Blends into your smile instead of showing up as a dark or silver spot
Removes less healthy tooth than a metal filling requires
A straightforward way to finally replace an old amalgam filling
No mercury, for anyone who'd simply rather not have it in their mouth
Handled in a single visit for most cavities
Why Emerald Dental for Mercury-Free Fillings
Every filling at Emerald Dental is color-matched chairside, so it blends with your specific teeth instead of a generic shade. If you’re replacing an old amalgam filling, we’ll walk you through what that actually involves before removing anything, no surprises mid-appointment. Both our Lakewood and Littleton offices offer the same standard of care. Meet our doctors on our About Us page.
What Patients Are Saying
Real feedback from real patients across our Lakewood and Littleton offices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are mercury-free fillings as durable as metal fillings?
Yes, modern composite materials are built to handle normal chewing and typically hold up for many years with regular care. They’re not indestructible, grinding or chewing ice will wear down any filling, but durability isn’t the tradeoff people sometimes assume it is.
Is getting a filling painful?
The area is numbed before any decay is removed, so the procedure itself isn’t painful. Most patients feel some normal pressure during the appointment and are back to eating and talking comfortably the same day.
Can old metal fillings be replaced with mercury-free ones?
Yes, replacing an amalgam filling with a composite one is a common request and a straightforward appointment. The old filling is removed along with any surrounding decay, and the tooth is rebuilt with tooth-colored material in its place.
Is it silly to want to replace a filling just because I don't like how it looks?
Not at all, plenty of patients come in for exactly that reason. A visible metal filling is a normal thing to want changed, whether it bothers you cosmetically or you’d simply rather have something that blends in.
How long does a filling appointment take?
Most single fillings are completed in one visit, typically well under an hour depending on how many teeth are being treated. There’s no separate fabrication step like a crown or bridge requires, since the filling is shaped and hardened right in the chair.
Fix the Cavity, Feel Relieved
A cavity may be easy to ignore when it isn’t hurting, but taking care of it now can prevent a much bigger repair later. Composite fillings restore the tooth while blending naturally into your smile, often in a single visit. Emerald Dental provides mercury-free fillings at our Lakewood and Littleton offices. Schedule your appointment and get the cavity off your mind before it becomes something harder to ignore.
Find Us
Two Convenient Locations
Both offices are open Monday through Thursday and accept new patients of all ages.
Lakewood
Emerald Dental Lakewood
12093-A West Alameda Pkwy, Lakewood, CO 80228
Littleton
Emerald Dental Littleton
2731 W Belleview Ave, Littleton, CO 80123