Safer Alternative to Amalgam

Millions of people owe their beautiful smiles to dental amalgam. It has been used by dentists all over the world to prevent tooth decay from spreading. However, amalgam’s reputation is changing due to issues about its safety as a dental filling because it consists of mercury.

Mercury is considered a neurotoxin, and is associated with various cases of Alzheimer’s Disease and Auto Immune Diseases. The mercury in amalgam also has the potential to disrupt the body’s metabolic processes due to its toxicity when combined with sulfur, which is present in all proteins in the body.

ADA and FDA have declared amalgam a safe restorative material because the amount of mercury vapor it releases does not reach a critical level. It cannot be discounted, however, that amalgam fillings may indeed pose health risks, especially in combination with other factors, such as the age of the filling, the amount of filling in the mouth, and the user’s diet.

To avoid health risks, an experienced cosmetic dentist recommends replacing amalgam fillings with biocompatible dental composite. As the name implies, biocompatible dental composite is a material that does not harm the oral tissues or diffuse substances that cause side effects.

Besides being safer, dental composite fillings perform better in strengthening the structure of a tooth. Since they are also tooth-colored, they look more natural than amalgams, resulting in a better smile. This aesthetic quality has made dental composite fillings the choice of practitioners of cosmetic dentistry in many parts of the country.