They're called silver fillings, but actually they have more mercury in them than silver. They're made from a paste of mercury and a silver alloy that hardens in your tooth to provide a very durable restoration. First developed around 1840, these silver amalgam fillings have served people well. But there are newer, better materials available now.
Many people are concerned about the mercury present in these fillings. Mercury is not only a toxic metal, but it is very difficult to eliminate from your system once it enters your body. Dr. Whitmore is concerned also, and has decided to be a mercury-free dentist.
In our office, we place composite fillings. Not only are they mercury-free, but they have several other advantages:
- Composite fillings bond to the teeth, thus restoring most of the original strength of the tooth. Amalgam fillings weaken the teeth and can lead to tooth fracture later in life.
- Composite fillings have less post-operative sensitivity.
- Less tooth structure has to be drilled away. Because composite bonds to weak parts of the tooth, only the decay needs to be removed, meaning that the cavity preparation often is only a fraction of the size it would otherwise have been with amalgam fillings.
- Composite is tooth-colored, so the results are much more esthetic.
Whitmore dental - your Plano mercury-free dentist.
