The introduction of “amalgam” fillings, or silver fillings, was a boon to dental health.  Now disease and decay could be removed and replaced, extending the life of the tooth and ensuring that patients could keep their teeth longer.  It was a win-win situation.

Like all sciences, dentistry adds newer and better materials as they become available.  Each year researchers work to find something better and stronger and more affordable.  So where do these silver fillings fit in the grand scheme of dental science today.  Frankly it’s old news - very old news.

Today’s dentistry uses materials that not only blend more esthetically with the natural tooth structure, but function more like it.  For example, those old silver fillings expand and contract with hot and cold – coffee and soda – like you’d expect metal to do.  However, tooth structure doesn’t expand at the same rate so those old fillings can actually cause cracks and breakage over time.  The composite, or white fillings, used by a Mercury Free Dentist today much more closely match natural tooth properties.  This also keeps the ‘seal’ tighter.  You know the place where the filling meets the tooth.  With the amalgam fillings gaps are created allowing food and bacteria to sneak in and cause damage around the old filling.

Perhaps the most alarming issue with silver fillings is the discovery that they actually leak mercury, part of their compound.  Debate rages in the community as to the extent of the danger, but the government is clear about how dentists must handle the material – careful collection and hazardous material removal procedures must be adhered to.

So what should you do?  Find a Mercury Free Dentist.  Those dentists who stay current on education and study know there is now something better.  You can decide if you want to replace any silver you may currently have all at once or do it over time, but there really is little reason to have any new “silver” used when better stuff is available.