It’s the information age and it is easier than ever to come by all types of free information on the Internet. The challenge with that is that you can find many different conflicting opinions and studies, so filtering through that information can provide a significant challenge. Many of our patients come to us wanting to learn about the safety of their silver fillings, wondering if they should be replaced for better health.
The Answer:
The American Dental Association has stated that silver amalgam fillings, which contain small levels of mercury, are safe for use in dentistry without any evidence of negative health effects.
Up until a decade or so ago, silver fillings were extremely common, especially for use on posterior teeth. Part of the reason they were used on posterior teeth of both adults and kids for so long was because they worked well in moist areas. For people with heavy saliva (especially kids), they were more effective.
Tooth-Colored Fillings
Today, we have better methods and techniques to dry out your teeth during treatment and composite (tooth-colored) fillings are just as easy to use as amalgam fillings. If you have even noticed a tooth with a silver filling, it does cast a shadow over the appearance of your entire tooth. While this may not be a big deal for some patients, for others, they would prefer a tooth-colored filling.
At Scott M. Jordan, DDS, we offer tooth-colored fillings to protect the health and beauty of our patients’ smiles. In addition to being highly esthetic, tooth-colored fillings last a long time.
If you are thinking about replacing your silver fillings with tooth-colored fillings, we can talk to you about this. We don’t recommend unnecessary treatment unless your filling is breaking down or causing a problem. However, if you feel strongly about it, we are here to help. Call us to schedule an appointment with Dr. Scott Jordan to learn more about the safety silver fillings in the Encinitas, California.