Dentistry has come a long way since the days of ‘silver’ fillings, yet these materials are still in use today.  It is no wonder that controversy surrounds them and mercury free dentistry is becoming popular.

Silver fillings are actually a mixture of materials, one ingredient of which is mercury.  The material has come under fire for a variety of reasons.  Primarily because mercury leaks.  This means that mercury vapors escape the metal and enter the body as long as the material is in the mouth.  In fact, the EPA requires dentists who remove these fillings to collect the material, store it in a special solution and dispose of it as a hazardous waste.

Secondly, these materials do not expand and contract with natural tooth structure.  When a patient drinks an ice cold beverage on a cool summer day, the metals will contract and pull slightly away from the tooth structure, allowing bacteria and debris to invade.  That hot cup of Joe in the morning, causes the materials to expand, forcing the tooth structure to bend and often break.  While these affects happen at a micro-level, over time the wear on the tooth structure can cause decay around and under the filling as well as fractures and cracks.  Also, they never truly return to the ‘original fit’ they had when they were placed.

Mercury fillings were a great science ‘back in the day’ but newer materials address the issues of toxins and are more in line with natural tooth properties.  Mercury Free dentistry is simply state-of-the-art.