Braces versus Retainers: A Comprehensive Overveiw

Why Don't Your Fillings Match the Colour of Your Teeth?

23 June 2016 by Lonnie Bryant

When your dentist fills a tooth with a composite filling, the colour of the filling material can be mixed to closely match the surrounding tooth. This makes the filling blend in more and look less obvious. However, there may be times when you notice that your filling isn't such a good colour match. Why does this happen and what can you do about it?

New Fillings

Dentists usually take some time to get a good colour match between a white filling and a tooth, and you may have been happy with the colour of your filling when your dentist showed it to you in the clinic. However, you may not always be 100% happy with the colour when you look at it later. This doesn't mean that the colour match is way off kilter – you may simply be a little self-conscious about your new filling, especially if it is on a front tooth, and may notice it more until you get used to it.

Tip: If you aren't sure whether the filling's colour is right or not, ask a friend or family member for an honest opinion. If you're the only person who thinks that the colour is a bad match, you may just need a few days to get used to your new filling being there.

If you're really convinced that the filling colour is not a good match with your natural tooth colour, you should go back to your dentist and raise your concerns. Your dentist should agree to fix a filling that really doesn't match the colour of the surrounding tooth.

Older Fillings

If you've had a composite filling for a while, you may notice that its colour has changed. It may have been a good match with your natural teeth to start with; however, it may start to look whiter or darker over time, making it stand out and look a bit obvious.

Like your teeth, composite fillings can stain, picking up colours from food, drink and habits such as smoking. Sometimes, this affects the face of the filling; other times, you may notice that the edges of the filling change colour. The problem you may have is the fact that your filling may not stain or discolour in exactly the same way or at exactly the same rate as your natural teeth do. This may make the filling look more obvious rather than blending in.

If you have problems with the colour of older fillings and the way they blend -- or don't blend -- with the rest of your teeth, it's worth making an appointment to see your dentist. Your dentist may be able to clean off staining with a clean and polish or may advise you to have the filling replaced if the discolouration is really bad.

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