Have you ever wondered if you could get rid of those ugly silver fillings in your teeth? Not only are they unsightly, but they may actually be damaging your teeth.
Your unsightly silver fillings are made of a composite of different metals. This composite may actually contain Mercury, which can be toxic and is often times controversial. This type of filling can't be physically bonded to the tooth but is packed into it like putty. The dentist may have to remove more tooth structure in the form of grooves and undercuts to hold in the silver material. This is because these types of fillings don't and can't use any chemical bonds to help them stay in the tooth.
Have you ever thought of what happens when you go from eating something hot to drinking something cold? These type of fillings have been known to expand and contract causing micro or macro fractures in the teeth. This means that one may suffer from a fractured tooth due to the stresses that these types of fillings may cause. Furthermore, the expansion and contraction of these fillings can lead to separation from the surrounding tooth structure. Leaving microscopic gaps between the filling and the tooth can lead to infiltration of bacteria. Ninety-five percent of the time these type of restorations are removed, decay is found lurking beneath. Why can't we catch this decay sooner? Because of the metal, x-rays are unable to penetrate through, therefore, decay will not be seen radiographically until it has destroyed enough surrounding tooth structure to be visualized.
Why is the tooth blackish/gray? Have you noticed that silver fillings turn your tooth dark in comparison to teeth without these amalgam fillings? This is a direct result of the metals leaching from the restoration and staining the tooth and sometimes even the surrounding gum tissue. In the case of the latter, this is known as an amalgam tattoo. Unfortunately, once the gum tissue is stained, there is no removing the discoloration. In the case of a stained tooth due to an amalgam restoration, some of that discolored tooth structure will be removed upon removal of the silver filling. Many times it is difficult to remove all of the discolored tooth structure, in which case, there are alternative cosmetic procedures available to address these concerns.
You may be wondering why dentists are still using such primitive restorations. One reason is that they are quick and easy for the dentists. The American Dental Association says that they are "safe" even with the Mercury leeching into your tissues. Just because it is easier for the dentist to use silver fillings, consider what we talked about. Silver fillings can have micro and macro fractures, mercury release and metal staining of surrounding hard and soft tissue. Dental technology has advanced far beyond these primitive techniques. You decide what you want in your mouth. After all, you have to live with it!
It's time to get rid of your unsightly silver fillings. Visit Tucson dentist Dr. Riley's site today. Dr. Riley specializes in restorative dentistry. She is a general dentist with a cosmetic flair.
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