Should the fillings that have been in your mouth for years be removed for different restorations, or should you leave these fillings alone? Looking at both sides of the argument and the advancements in dentistry today the mercury/metal filling is an outdated treatment. There are superior alternatives to mercury/metal fillings that create a healthier mouth as well as a healthier body.
Mercury/metal fillings have been a center of debate by dentists for over 150 years since they were first introduced. Proponents of these fillings argue that there isn’t any specific disease or problems related to their use. They are a relatively low cost and last a number of years. Therefore, they are considered safe, reliable and a good option for restoring teeth. Opponents of mercury/metal fillings argue that these fillings pass mercury into the system and cause a malady of problems. They state that because of mercury’s affinity for nerves and neural tissue, there isn’t a specific related disease. Instead, mercury poisoning causes a multitude of different diseases and problems. Opponents also feel these fillings weaken the tooth and can cause fractures and breakage and therefore, these fillings are dangerous and should be eliminated. The stance against mercury/metal fillings is further strengthened by the simple fact that other options now exist that are healthier and perform better.
Looking a little closer at the health issues, the FDA has stated that there are no proven illnesses from the use of dental amalgam. However, they have not taken into account individual genetics. With mercury/metal fillings our nerves and neural tissue are the most susceptible. Our nerves are kind of like electrical wiring. They have insulating sheath around them much like the plastic coating around an electrical wire. Some people have thicker insulation than others. Some may have thicker insulation in spots and thinner in others. Wherever it is thin, this barrier can be more easily ruptured or broken and symptoms will vary depending where the breakdown occurs. Because mercury can attack any nerve anywhere, the symptoms that one person has may not even remotely resemble the problems that someone else is having. An example could be multiple sclerosis vs. dermatitis. They both could easily have their origins in a mercury toxicity problem. It’s just one person’s weakest link is not the same as another person’s.
Besides the toxicity, functionally mercury/metal fillings have drawbacks. They weaken the tooth over time by expanding, and over time tend to cause recurrent decay, fracturing the teeth from the inside. They expand and contract, due to heat and cold temperatures in the mouth. Overtime this ongoing expansion and contraction contribute to the microfracures within the tooth. This contraction creates leakage whereby bacteria regularly travel underneath the filling. The long-term outcome of having a mercury/metal filling is commonly a broken tooth, requiring a larger filling, root canal therapy, a full coverage crown, or possibly the loss of the tooth.
So if you follow the argument that mercury/metal fillings are not the best thing for you, are they safe to remove? Dentists routinely remove these types of fillings every day, so the question should be are these fillings being removed correctly? The primary risk to a patient’s health in removing these fillings is the competence of the dentist, his ethics and integrity on taking any necessary precautions to protect the patient. There are certain techniques that your dentist uses to remove mercury/metal fillings. The correct protocol requires the use of high volumes of cold water with high volume suction removing the filling in the largest sections possible. Further safety precautions could require complete isolation with a dental dam. It is the volatility of mercury that necessitates all the precautions and correct techniques.
Removing mercury/metal fillings is a proactive approach to intercepting potential fracture and pain, as well as, promoting a healthier body. Today there are more aesthetic and environmentally safer materials to use. And with these new materials it is possible to predictably bond teeth back together and create a better oral environment for a lifetime of health.
Well,i just need a lots of opinion regarding on the metal feeling,coz one of this day i should have to undergo in this kind of treatment,so if you have suggestion please email me.Thank you in advance.
by: florence
Posted by: san diego tooth whitening | May 12, 2009 at 10:36 PM
Mercury fillings are something so dangerous so, why it is use to dental amalgams if it is dangerous.
-heather-
Posted by: cosmetic dentistry los angeles | July 21, 2009 at 02:19 AM