White filling

A filling is a restoration used to replace the damaged part of a tooth caused by decay or minor fracture, preventing further deterioration and restoring the tooth’s function. After removing the damaged tissue, the filling is precisely placed and secured, allowing the patient to resume normal activities immediately.

White filling

Excellence in every smile

Why is a white filling better than amalgam fillings?

Placing a white filling requires less removal of healthy tooth tissue during tooth preparation. With amalgam (black) fillings, more tooth structure needs to be drilled to create space for the filling.
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White filling — advantages compared to amalgam fillings

  • Less removal of healthy tooth tissue

    Placing a white filling requires less removal of healthy tooth tissue during drilling. They are shaped and placed to perfectly fit your bite (only the decayed part is drilled). This is not the case with amalgam fillings.
  • Aesthetic advantages

    A white filling is made to closely mimic the natural appearance of a tooth. Each bump and groove (fissure) is shaped to match the original tooth. The transition between the tooth and filling must be seamless. Shaping the bumps is important not only for aesthetics but also for functional reasons. Otherwise, it can cause tooth pain, jaw joint problems, tooth fractures, food trapping, and new cavities.
  • White fillings are biocompatible

    The materials we use in our work are highly aesthetic composites. White fillings are crafted to accurately replicate the natural appearance of teeth. This means each bump and groove (fissure) is shaped just like a natural tooth. The transition between the tooth and the filling must be seamless.
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Harms of amalgam fillings

For patients with amalgam "black" fillings, we recommend replacing them with white fillings, even if they are in good condition. Replacement is done not only for aesthetic reasons but also for health concerns, since amalgam fillings cannot seal the tooth hermetically. Unlike white fillings, which bond both mechanically and chemically, amalgam fillings bond only mechanically.

Amalgam has been used as a dental filling material for many years. These "black fillings" can contain up to 50% mercury. Most people are unaware that due to mercury content, such fillings can be harmful to health. Mercury is a carcinogenic toxin dangerous to the immune system. Over time, mercury vapors can be released from amalgam fillings, and inhalation allows them to enter the bloodstream and reach all organs.

Inhaling mercury vapors can cause many diseases: cancer, gastritis, allergies, asthma, chronic fatigue, depression, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Crohn’s disease, and others.

As of January 1, 2025, the European Union has banned the use of dental amalgam.

Why get fillings at Centrodent?

We diagnose cavities promptly and confirm each case using the K-lite device, which allows our dentists to see beyond the limits of the human eye by detecting changes invisible to the naked eye.
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  • Materials we use

    We use modern, high-quality, and highly aesthetic materials for fillings.
  • Minimally invasive procedures

    Our procedures are minimally invasive thanks to the latest technologies. 
  • There is no fear of the dentist with us

    You don’t need to avoid tooth repair because of fear of the dentist. We break all the stereotypes about dentists.

Stages of filling placement

After the cavity is precisely removed, the tooth is shaped to ensure a strong and long-lasting stability of the filling. This stage includes thorough cleaning and, if necessary, protection of the deeper tooth layers when the decay was close to the dental pulp.

The tooth is isolated to prevent saliva contamination, which is crucial for successful bonding of the filling. The tooth surface is then treated with a special agent that enables a chemical bond between the tooth structure and the composite material.

The composite material is applied in thin layers, with each layer cured using a special blue light that hardens it. This ensures strength and better adaptation to the shape of the tooth.

Once the filling is fully placed, it is precisely shaped to fit perfectly into the bite and then polished to a smooth surface. This achieves a natural appearance and prevents plaque buildup.

Common questions about fillings

The cost of white fillings depends on the size of the filling, the number of affected tooth surfaces, and the complexity of the procedure.

We distinguish between single-surface fillings, which cover only one top surface of the tooth including its bumps and pits.

Two-surface fillings cover the top surface and one proximal side adjacent to a neighboring tooth, while three-surface fillings cover the top and both proximal sides of the tooth.

In cases where the tooth crown is significantly damaged by decay, it may be necessary to reconstruct the entire crown with a filling.

Such procedures are called reconstructive fillings. Three-surface and reconstructive fillings are the most demanding types because they require additional precision and expertise to achieve optimal function and aesthetics.

Besides the type of filling, the cost also depends on the material used. Our dental practice uses only nano composites, high-quality materials containing nanoparticles smaller than 100 nm.

Nano composites provide exceptional strength, wear resistance, and perfect aesthetics, ensuring a long-lasting result.

Therefore, the price of white fillings depends on the type of filling (complexity of the procedure), the materials used by the clinic, the dentist’s expertise, and the techniques applied during treatment.


 

White fillings are partially covered by HZZO (Croatian Health Insurance Fund), but often require a co-payment.

The final cost depends on the complexity of the procedure, materials used, and the clinic’s price list, with patient expenses typically ranging from 20 to 60 euros.

Dental clinics are required to issue a fiscalized receipt for any co-payment amount.


 

Amalgam fillings, also known as “black fillings,” have been used for many years to treat cavities, especially in the back of the mouth where chewing forces are strongest. They are made from an alloy containing mercury combined with other metals such as silver, tin, and copper. Due to the mercury content—which is toxic—these fillings have been the subject of numerous scientific and regulatory debates.

As of January 1, 2025, the European Union has officially banned the use of dental amalgam in treatment, making amalgam fillings no longer an approved therapeutic option. The main reason is to protect patient health and the environment, as small amounts of mercury can be released over time, particularly during the placement and removal of fillings, as well as concerns about disposing of mercury-containing waste.

Besides health and environmental reasons, amalgam fillings have several functional drawbacks. Over time, they can cause microcracks in teeth due to different expansion rates of the material under thermal stress. They are also highly unattractive aesthetically because of their dark color. Unlike white fillings, amalgams do not chemically bond to the tooth but rely on mechanical retention, often requiring removal of more healthy tooth tissue.

For these reasons, modern dentistry relies on advanced materials—composites—that are biocompatible, aesthetically adaptable, and functionally more durable.

Cavities under a filling can develop when a small gap forms between the tooth and the filling, allowing plaque and bacteria to accumulate.

This often goes unnoticed because the tooth may look completely healthy from the outside, but over time it can cause pain, sensitivity, or greater tooth damage.

Such hidden cavities can be detected during a dental exam and often on a panoramic x-ray—especially if the lesions are larger or deeper.

At Centrodent, during every tartar removal, besides thoroughly polishing the teeth, we also polish all fillings to reduce plaque buildup along the filling edges and help prevent this type of cavity.

If your tooth hurts when you bite down — even months after getting a filling — the reason might be simple: the filling is too high.

Even a slight difference in height can throw off your bite. When one tooth makes contact before the others, it takes on too much pressure during chewing. This can lead to discomfort, sensitivity, or even inflammation of the tooth’s nerve over time.

What our patients say about us

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stomatolog u Rijeci preporuke

Vera O.

81, Rijeka
I am truly grateful and impressed with the care and professionalism I received. Even at my age, I learned so much from you. I’ve never felt this satisfied after a dental visit, and I wholeheartedly recommend others to come and see the quality of your work for themselves.
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Tilda

49, Kastav
I have periodontitis, and scaling has always been painful for me in the past. Here, I didn’t shed a single tear. The dentist was amazing - I would recommend her without hesitation.
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Vanja L.

61, Kastav
A big thank you to the entire Centrodent team for their kindness and professional care. Special thanks to Dr Željka Miculinić, who always manages to ease the discomfort (and fear) of going to the dentist, and for her patience with a demanding patient. Warm regards to the whole team.
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Vesna Š.

53, Rijeka
The staff is kind, and the dentist has the ability to solve the unsolvable in order to save and restore teeth.

Excellence in every smile

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