In the past, moviegoers hanging onto the edge of their seats during some climactic moment, watching their leading actor shout out at the top of his lungs, might have found themselves somewhat jarred from the immersion when the close-up revealed a mouth full of black fillings. Perhaps such details were overlooked, though, since many in the audience could see the same thing in their own mouths. Back then, Hollywood was more concerned with the front teeth.
Black fillings were made with silver amalgam, and when they were new, they looked silver—but they tarnished fairly quickly. The corrosion actually improved the longevity of black fillings, however, as it helped seal microscopic deficiencies between fillings and teeth, which were prepared according to venerable U.S. dentist Dr. G.V. Black’s principles.
