What happens when a filling is removed?

[tayndrewsmama]

I have read about people having mercury fillings removed, but I have never seen mention of what is done after the filling is removed. Is something else put it it's place or is it just left alone?

[tanyalynn]

They take out the mercury filling and they fill in the empty space with something else--usually a composite, sometimes ceramic or porcelain. Maybe other options, too, depending on the dentist. The hole was the decayed area that was drilled out, and it goes through the outer enamel and deeper into the tooth, so to prevent the decay from continuing, they fill it in (not sure if a big, sudden hole like that could be remineralized through diet/products).