With the advancement of science and technology, it has become easier to take care of your oral health. Just a few steps daily like brushing twice, flossing, and controlled sugar intake can keep your teeth healthy for a lifetime. Still, if you develop a decay, there are simple procedures like Dental fillings that can take care of your teeth. According to dentists from Orem Utah, the dental fillings are completely safe and long-term solution for healing a cavity.
In this article, we are going to talk all about dental fillings and dental amalgams:
What are Dental Amalgams?
Dental amalgams are used for filling tooth decay. Earlier the fillings were done using resin composites, which are a combination of plastic and ceramic compounds. However, now it is more of dental amalgams. The dental amalgams consist of a blend of metal like silver, tin, copper, and mercury.
These amalgams have been in existence since decades, but has rose to popularity only recently. Among the dental world, it is also known as silver-colored fillings. One of the reason behind its rising popularity is because it is less expensive than other tooth fillers like gold-fillings.
Another reason behind its rising use is its durability. The filling can last up to 10-15 years, which is more than any ordinary filling. Dentists recommend the silver filling for large cavities and ones that are located at the back of the teeth. These amalgams are made to dry quickly and so it helps in filling the places that are hard to keep dry. Besides, the procedure is quick and efficient than any other filling methods.
The only disadvantage of this kind of filling is they are not natural looking. These metals filling are easily noticeable when you wide open your mouth. Sometimes the dentist also have to remove a bit more of the tooth to fill in this amalgam.
Is Dental Amalgam a Safe Choice?
Although Dental amalgam is being used for centuries, there are still some speculation around it regarding the content of mercury present in it. What you need to understand here is these amalgams are a well-measured combination of mercury, zinc, copper, tin, and silver. Silver is present in 67%-74%, tin 25-28%, 6% copper, 2% zinc, and 3% mercury. As the percentage of mercury is very less here, there is nothing to worry about it.
Besides there are different sorts of mercury content, for instance, methyl mercury is found in water. It builds up in fish and if consumed in larger amount can cause several health issues. Therefore, one thing is sure the mercury that your tooth filling uses is not of the same content, so it is better.
The amalgam filling is very safe and has been proven effective by The American Dental Association, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization. Even the Alzheimer’s Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Autism Society of America support the use of dental amalgam. Consult your doctor in advance for the dental amalgam filling and talk about any existing health issues.
