Intellectually, the idea of putting a known toxic substance into your mouth and leaving it there seems crazy. Yet for many years, that’s exactly what we did with mercury amalgam. Now, in the more enlightened age of biological dentistry, we have awakened to the danger of this compound and shifted to a much safer materials.
At the time, dentists never knowingly endangered people’s health, it was thought that mercury amalgam was safe. However, research by the FDA later found a risk of mercury gas produced by fillings. This is one of the main reasons why biological dentists such as we here at Aesthetic Family Dentistry don’t use them.
Mercury-free dentistry
We have never been fans of mercury fillings regardless of this research. For one, they are silver and stand out quite boldly in teeth. It makes it obvious that someone has fillings and while there is nothing wrong with having them, if more subtle solutions are available, why not use them?
Mercury amalgam is comprised of a mixture of silver, copper, tin and zinc with an equal amount of mercury. Over time, the composition of the filling gradually breaks down, allowing tiny piece of metal or gas to leak into the body. Some studies have linked this leakage to health issues.
While absolute proof that mercury fillings cause problems has yet to be found, there is no reason to take chances. A few studies have been carried out that indicate a potential risk of off-gassing from mercury fillings. The FDA still regards them as safe, so nothing has changed as yet. However, when there is a safer alternative, why would you not use it?
A safer solution
Biological dentistry is all about using more natural, less harmful treatments. One alternative to mercury fillings is resin. Not only does the resin we use not contain harmful elements, it is also white and will better match the color of your teeth. So not only is it better for you, it looks better too!
In the majority of cases, there is little difference in the cost of resin over mercury fillings. Most dental insurances will cover the cost of fillings regardless of the material used, so it should make no difference to you financially.
In many parts of the country, there are very few biological dentists so choices are limited. Residents of Denville, New Jersey are more fortunate. Aesthetic Family Dentistry serves the NJ community and provides a full range of biological dentistry services to our neighbors. One of which is mercury-free fillings.
If you like the idea of biological dentistry and would like to know more or have mercury fillings and would prefer resin one, contact us here at Aesthetic Family Dentistry. We can help!
