Many people choose to replace their old fillings after some years of wear and tear. Even though in the past fillings were made of silver amalgam, like anything else that experiences wear and tear, amalgam fillings eventually do wear out and have to be replaced.

So, let's take a look at some of the benefits of replacing old fillings:
1.    If it is an old filling, chances are it is a silver amalgam filling, and many patients today are electing to replace them for cosmetic reasons as white composite fillings better match the natural color of your teeth, and basically look better. In many cases they can be made to look totally natural and you wouldn't even know there was a filling present.
2.    Once again, if your fillings are old, you may wish to replace them for environmental reasons, which is also a big benefit because new composite fillings do not have mercury in them, as the old silver amalgam fillings did.
3.    Another benefit of replacing old fillings is that there is not hundreds of choices for what you want to have as your filling, as well as what color. So, filling options have really advanced, you can use any number of metals, or the most popular option, white composite.
4.    Another huge benefit is health. Believe it or not, if you have amalgam fillings you could be at risk for higher likelihood of depression, memory loss, and many other problems. Why? Because these fillings contain mercury. Each amalgam filling in your tooth releases up to 17 mcg of mercury each day. This increases up to 500 mcg if you smoke cigarettes, drink of hot liquids, chew gum regularly, have acidic saliva, or grind your teeth at night. Mercury accumulates in the brain, heart, kidneys, and endocrine glands and can cause depression, autoimmune diseases, memory loss, tremors, anemia and heart attacks. So, replacing them could really be good for your health.
5.    Stronger teeth. While the material of many old fillings is actually very strong, it requires a significant amount of tooth structure to be removed which results in weaker teeth. Also, the filling itself, due to the way it is placed weakens the surrounding tooth. Composite fillings, and the way they are bonded to the tooth do not weaken the tooth, rather they restore it to its original strength. So, it can cost you less money down the road to replace a filling if it means stronger teeth.
6.    More effective. If your fillings are old, they have experienced some real wear and tear with all the chewing, chomping, and grinding that takes place each day, so make sure they do not fall out, and that they last and protect your tooth from greater infection and decay by getting old fillings replaced.
As you can see there are many benefits of replacing old fillings with new. It is certainly up to you, however, most insurances will cover the cost if it is recommended by a dentist. When you do have your fillings replaced it is best to use a dentist who is skilled in removing old fillings and replacing with new, and can do so quickly, efficiently and with as little sensitivity afterward as possible.