Skip to main content

Inbox: Silver Fillings? Should I fix them?

Hello Everyone!!

Over the weekend I received an email from a patient that I thought I would share with everyone.

The email reads:

Doc,

Remember those silver fillings on my left side? They dont hurt me or anything like that, but they are UGLY. Can we change them to white fillings? Or shoudl I leave it alone?

Thanks,

MH-

Silver fillings, also known as amalgam fillings, have been used by dentists all around the world for many years. It is a mixture of metals consisting of liquid (elemental) mercury and a powdered alloy composed of silver, tin, and copper. Approximately 50% of dental amalgams is elemental mercury by weight. However, there are a few pros and cons that I thought I would share with everyone.

Pros-
Amalgam fillings are strong, long lasting, and less likely to break than any other types of fillings. And, it tends to be inexpensive.

Cons-
Here is where it gets interesting. Amalgam fillings contain mercury, but not the same mercury you would find in fish. Its an elemental mercury, that has the potential to release mercury vapor in the air which can be absorbed by our lungs! Who wants to breathe that in?

Although at a slow rate, amalgams can expand and have the potential to crack your tooth or teeth. I recommend that patients replace their amalgams (silver fillings) to a resin-based filling which are color matched and less invasive.

In fact, most offices have eliminated amalgam fillings altogether.

So stop metalling aroung (HA!), call the office to schedule an appointment and we can check out any that may be of concern to you!

Dr E.






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Inbox: PPO, HMO, EPO, DMO; What’s the difference?

Hello Everyone,  From my email:  My insurance is ending this month. There are so many policies out there..., can you please tell me what to get? What's the difference? KNM, Lafeyette, CA. More and more, insurance companies are being selective in the policies that they offer to patients. First, let me take a minute to let you know the difference between PPO, HMO, EPO, DMO, … UGH… it can be frustrating, I know. So, let’s go through them— 1)       HMO: Health Maintenance Organization . With a HMO plan, your insurance company might require you to pick a dental care provider. All, or most of your services, must go through that provider. Visits to offices that take PPO only will most likely not be covered by your insurance. 2 )       PPO: Preferred Provider Organization PPO Dental offices, such as Oak Grove Dental, give you flexibility. You can most likely choose the dental care provider that bes...
1 comment
Read more

Back to School Mouth Guards: Minimizing The Impact

Back to School Mouth Guards: The American Dental Association claims that there are 200,000 injuries a year that can be prevented if a mouth guard was worn. Wearing mouth guards prevents trauma to teeth and can reduce impact playing certain sports. This sports include: Acrobatics Basketball Boxing Field hockey Football Gymnastics Handball Ice hockey Lacrosse Martial arts Racquetball Roller hockey Rugby Shot putting Skateboarding Skiing Skydiving Soccer Squash Surfing Volleyball Water polo Weightlifting Wrestling  And, according to the American Association of Orthodontists, 84% of children playing  in organized sports don't wear protection. Most parents don't enforce the mouth guard because children find them bulky, uncomfortable, and difficult to talk with them in. While, I do understand the hesitation of wearing sports guards, the trauma that can occur during these sports to teeth can be extensive. In my office, we make custom fit sports guards fo...
1 comment
Read more

The Dental Fun Facts of Life

At Oak Grove Dental, we believe it's important to treat our patients with the highest quality of care. We also feel that it is our duty to inform our patients about oral health and EMPOWER them to live healthier lives! Here are some interesting fun dental facts about your teeth that we thought would be fun to share! The enamel on the top surface of your tooth is the hardest part of your entire body. Teeth start to form even before your are born. Humans have four different types of teeth: Incisors, Canine, Pre-Molars, and Molars. They are used to cut, grind and tear our food. Humans have only two sets of teeth in their entire lifetime. No two people have the same set of teeth. Your teeth are as unique as your fingerprint. Your mouth produces over 25,000 quarts of saliva in a lifetime. (That's enough to fill 2 swimming pools, LOL!) An average person spends 38.5 days of their life brushing their teeth over their entire lifetime. There are many diseases that are l...
Post a Comment
Read more