You may have noticed that there are many types of fillings – silver, gold, white (tooth-colored) fillings-what is the story?- Many people have told us that “they heard” silver fillings were very dangerous and should be replaced- First let’s discuss the advantages of each.
Beauty– obviously a tooth colored filling either Porcelain or Composite looks better that Silver or Gold. – White fillings win here. Gold is the longest lasting- Ask me what is in my mouth!
Conservative Dentistry- No matter what your political affiliation, when it comes to dentistry less tooth removed is often best for the tooth. What that means when we remove decay and shape your tooth to receive a filling we can keep more healthy tooth intact when placing a tooth colored filling.
Bonding-A traditional silver filling stays in place by being wedged into your tooth, while a tooth colored one is actually bonded to the remaining tooth structure. Porcelain and Gold are cemented in.
Strength-Because a tooth colored filling is bonded in place, the result will be a stronger tooth. Yeah!! Silver takes away more tooth to to help wedge the filling in to stay. Porcelain and Gold still help retain tooth but are cemented in with a bonding cement.
Safety-Amalgam the material that makes up the “silver fillings,” has been around for centuries, and in the 1800’s became the material of choice for dental fillings. Amalgam is made of several metals including mercury, which is known as a toxic material. And that is where the controversy begins.
But what about existing silver fillings? Should they be removed? Every you have a dental exam at Dr McGarry’s office, we inspect your fillings with our vision, dental instruments, and necessary x-rays. If there are any cracks, leaks, fractures, surrounding decay or other problems, we typically recommend replacing fillings. However in most cases amalgam fillings that are that are functioning well, free of decay or fractures and not causing cosmetic issues are left intact. – This decision is backed by the American Dental Association and other dental research organizations. As with anything else, everyone is different and there are exceptions to every rule. Your health is our primary concern- so feel free to come to us with any questions you have. Remember We are here for you! Call 810-735-9426 at any time or email contact @drmcgarry.com