Dear Artistic Dental Studio followers,
I am about to give you some information regarding mercury (Amalgam or metallic) fillings. Amalgam has been the most commonly used filling material in dentistry for over 70 years and is still being used in many countries.
As a durable material, it got rapid popularity until toxic effects of mercury were found. Since then, there have been continuous attempts to abolish the use of the material. There is a common myth about mercury intoxication, which needs to be addressed: Is amalgam filling potentially toxic in mouth? To answer this question, one needs to consider the age of the filling, normally older fillings are pitted and more porous and as a consequence, more risky in terms of mercury release. But, the major risk that people are not aware of goes back to the nature of the material itself: It’s METALLIC! Therefore, it expands and shrinks at a much higher rate compared to natural tooth structure, and over time, it leads to multiple minute cracks in areas surrounding the filling.
Many individuals are not aware of those tiny cracks until a part of the tooth comes off or the tooth cracks, and unfortunately, it could lead to extraction of a pretty stable tooth and a rude awakening. This is why it is strongly recommended to exchange these type of fillings in majority of cases and any possible cracks repaired by either a new filling or preferably, a crown. I hope this has been informative and helpful!
Can’t wait for your comments!
Dr Shervin
