Thousand Oaks Fillings
Dental amalgam has been a common material used to fill cavities for over 150 years. Approximately 1/2 of an amalgam filling is liquid mercury and the other 1/2 is a powered mixture of silver, tin, and copper. The mercury is used to bind the particles together into a strong and solid filling. In our practice, we find three of the biggest problems with amalgam fillings are:
Problems With Amalgam Fillings
- Over time, amalgam filings crack teeth. Amalgam filling expand and contract differently than tooth structure, so cracks develop causing the tooth to become sensitive and even break. A cracked tooth can be a tricky thing to fix…
- Amalgam fillings leak, and lead to secondary decay. Almost every time that we in our practice remove an amalgam filling, we find recurrent decay under the filling. Amalgam fillings do not bond to tooth structure the way other filling materials can, so leaking and decay can be an issue.
- They are ugly. Yes, they are unattractive. We find that the primary reason people want their amalgam fillings removed is for aesthetic reasons. It’s no surprise that people don’t like the way their dark amalgam fillings look, and want them replaced with more aesthetic options.
Alternatives
If you feel it is time to have your old worn amalgam fillings replaced with a more beautiful alternative, talk to your dentist, or give us a call! We would love to help. We are here to answer any questions and help you make the right decision for you.