“Almost everything wears away, and your silver fillings will be no different,” states Dr. Schultz. “They withstand stressful and heavy biting forces every day, and as they get older, they split, leak and may result in damaging fractures on teeth.” With time, metal amalgam fillings have the ability to absorb water, causing them to swell and even break away from the tooth. When this happens, your tooth is much more prone to tooth decay and tenderness.