Amalgam is commonly used for fillings, but can this material be harmful to your health? If you’re looking to replace your old amalgam fillings, understanding your level of risk is essential to making an informed decision.
Let’s explore how amalgam interacts with the body and determine whether you should have old amalgam restorations replaced with tooth-colored composite fillings.
What is Amalgam?
Dental amalgam is a filling composed of different metal alloys such as silver, tin, copper, and mercury. While the latter three components do little to affect health when used in restorations or as sealing agents, large amounts of mercury have toxic effects.
Dentists use amalgam to fill cavities and repair teeth affected by decay. Amalgam has long been valued for its durability and malleability; however, as more research surfaces, evidence points to this material’s contribution to toxicity by continuously excreting harmful mercury vapors.
How Much of A Risk Is Dental Amalgam?
While the risk of mercury ingestion is real, the minuscule amount found in dental work makes it almost a non-issue. On the other hand, Dr. Carothers and many other leading dental care professionals believe any material that would require special provisions to dispose of in any other circumstance is unlikely to be healthy for patients. For this reason, our office exclusively uses alternative treatment options such as tooth-colored composite, porcelain inlays or onlays.
A major concern associated with amalgam is mercury poisoning, which is characterized by the following side effects:
- Diminished Peripheral Vision
- Impaired Coordination
- Chronic Headaches
- Involuntary Muscle Twitching
- Muscular Atrophy
- Decreased Mental Function
Those with greater susceptibility to mercury toxicity, whether because they eat too much fish or breathe in contaminated air as a result of their job, should look into replacing amalgam fillings to lower their exposure.
If given a choice, opting for composite is not only an investment in a more aesthetic restoration but, thanks to the latest advances in dentistry, these fillings can last as long as amalgam.
How Do Dentists Safely Remove Amalgam Fillings?
Dr. Carothers has the training and specialized instruments necessary to protect the inside of the tooth while limiting exposure to mercury.
When removing the filling, he places a dental dam over the tooth, ensuring that the patient is protected from swallowing or otherwise coming into contact with loose amalgam particles. Additionally, the dam shields the tooth from moisture and contamination. Dr. Carothers’ uses a technique that incorporates both high and low volume suction. A high volume evacuator is used above the dental dam to draw in any possible mercury vapors and the aerosol spray. He then places low volume suction underneath the dam, making sure the patient doesn’t swallow any saliva. We offer supplemental oxygen during the removal upon patient request. He removes a very small amount of tooth structure in order to remove large portions of the amalgam filling at once, which reduces the risk of unnecessary exposure to mercury.
Once the old amalgam restoration has been removed, a new composite or ceramic filling takes its place.
Learn More
Find out more by scheduling a consultation with Dr. David Carothers. He safely removes worn amalgam restorations and provides durable, tooth-colored fillings that can last up to a lifetime.