June '09 Mercury-Free fillings

Mercury is a heavy metal found in nature in different forms. Too much mercury in your body can hurt you. Many years of burning coal along with using mercury in batteries, thermometers, fluorescent lights, electrical switches, and other products have caused too much mercury to get into the environment.

The State is concerned about the effects of mercury on human health and our environment. The policy is to reduce how much mercury is released into the environment. Pennsylvania is a leader among states in removing mercury from products.

Because amalgam fillings mostly contain mercury, we are concerned about possible effects on human health and the environment.

Amalgam Fillings and Mercury

Amalgam fillings are also called dental amalgams or mercury amalgams. They are 40 to 50 percent mercury. These fillings give off mercury vapor. How much vapor is given off depends on how many fillings you have. It also depends on how much time you spend chewing, grinding your teeth, and drinking hot liquids. Mercury vapor can be inhaled and enter the bloodstream. It can then be carried throughout the body. For people with a number of fillings, this can be the major way mercury gets into their body. Any mercury from amalgam fillings we swallow is very poorly absorbed and mostly does not enter our bloodstream.  That said, I have a friend who is a dentist in Utah who had a patient analyze an old silver filling.  The results for the toxicology testing were impressive.  The filling was about 50 percent mercury when it was placed, 10 years prior to its removal.  The testing revealed that about 2mg of mercury remained, which was 4.8 percent.  Where did the rest of the mercury go?  According to the government, that 2mg of mercury is enough to contaminate 250 gallons of water, making it hazardous.  

Health Concerns

There is a lot of debate about health effects from the mercury in amalgam fillings. Current studies cannot confirm if amalgam fillings cause health problems. Some people have allergic reactions to mercury.

Too much mercury can damage the kidneys, nerves and the brain. The brains of babies and infants that are starting to form and grow are most at risk.

To be careful, Canada and several countries in Europe recommend limits on the use of mercury amalgam and some countries have even made it illegal. They advise that pregnant women should not have amalgam fillings placed in or removed from their teeth. Some of these countries issue the same warning for nursing women and people with kidney problems. Most manufacturers have placed warnings on the labels stating that placement of silver mercury fillings is contra-indicated in pregnant or nursing women and children under the age of 7.  

Environmental Concerns

Some countries limit the use of amalgam fillings to help reduce mercury pollution. Waste is made when new fillings are put in teeth or when fillings are removed. This waste contains mercury. It can pollute the environment. We reduce this pollution by using traps and filters to collect the mercury for recycling. When we remove these fillings, I cannot put the waste down the drain, in the trash, or even in the medical waste containers.  Amalgam fillings cause our body's waste (urine and feces) to have mercury. When these mercury-containing wastes enter sewers, they can add to the pollution of our waters.

What You Can Do

The best thing you can do is avoid the need for any fillings by preventing tooth decay in the first place. Because of efforts to prevent tooth decay, most fillings placed in teeth these days are to replace old ones. Choosing an alternative to amalgam fillings is another way to reduce the amount of amalgam that ends up in the environment.

Preventing Dental Decay

Over the past 30 years, successful preventive measures have helped reduce dental disease (tooth decay). Preventing decay is the best way to protect your oral health and your overall health. If you can keep decay from starting, you won't need fillings, and you'll be helping to protect the environment.

Follow these steps to help prevent dental disease:

* Brush and floss your teeth every day.

* Eat a balanced diet low in sweet sticky foods. Limit sugary sodas and fruit drinks.

* Visit our office for routine examinations and hygiene visits.

* Use fluoride to help strengthen tooth enamel.

* Make sure children get dental sealants on their molar teeth.

When you need to have a tooth restored, let us know about any changes to your health since your last visit.

For example:

* Are you pregnant or nursing?

* Do you have any allergies?

* Do you soon plan to have braces?

* Are you taking any medications? What for?

* Do you have any kidney problems or a family history of them?

* Do you have any other health conditions or specific health concerns?

Sharing these facts with us may affect the choice you make for a filling material. No matter what material is used, a filling is not like a natural tooth. Filling materials are man-made and as such they are foreign materials to your body. Whenever something foreign is put into your body, there is the chance of side effects. All dental materials may cause an allergic reaction in sensitive people. For every filling material, there are a few people who are allergic to it. This is why we need to know about your allergies.

If you need to have a tooth restored, there are different kinds of materials that can be used. We will talk with you about the kind of filling material that is best for you and for the tooth that needs to be filled. There are other factors that may affect the choice of filling material. These include the location of the filling and biting forces in that area of the mouth. Each kind of material has advantages and disadvantages. You should know what these factors are so that you can make an informed choice.

For many years, the only choices for fillings were metals. These are a mixture or "amalgam" of mercury and silver alloys, or gold alloy. In the past 20 to 30 years, other materials have been developed for fillings. These are "tooth colored" rather than silver-colored and gold. They include composite resin and porcelain.

Amalgam

The word "amalgam" means a mix or blend. It can also be a mixture of mercury with another metal or mix of metals.

Dental amalgams include mercury, silver, copper and tin. About 40 percent to 50 percent of the filling material is mercury. They have been called "silver fillings" because of their silver color when they are first placed. It is usually used on back teeth. It is one of the oldest filling materials and has been used for over 150 years.

Advantages:

* Fillings are usually done in one visit.

* This is the least expensive type of filling material.

Disadvantages:

* Amalgam fillings give off mercury vapor. The vapors can then be inhaled and enter your body.

* Current studies cannot confirm if this mercury causes health problems.

* Mercury used in these fillings can add to the mercury pollution problem.

* Amalgam has a silver color that can get darker over time.

* In rare cases there are allergic reactions to amalgam.

* Amalgam fillings expand and contract, like a mercury thermometer, and over time and can cause cracks, fractures and broken teeth.

* Amalgam fillings rust over time and open margins from rust can lead to recurrent decay that might be impossible to diagnose on an X-ray

Composite (resin)

Composite is a mixture of plastic resin. These fillings are also called plastic or "white fillings." This type of material may be either self-hardening or may be hardened by exposure to blue light. Composite is used for fillings, inlays and veneers. Sometimes it is used for replacing parts of broken teeth.

Advantages:

* These fillings are the color of natural teeth.

* Composite may be used on either front or back teeth.

* Fillings are usually done in one visit.

* Composite is a relatively strong material.

Disadvantages:

* This type of filling is not meant for a heavy, stress bearing area of your mouth, if the filling is too large.

* Compared to other fillings, composite fillings are sometimes difficult and time-consuming to place. They cannot be used in all situations.

* Composite has a moderate cost. It costs more than amalgam.

* Allergic reactions are rare.

Gold or Gold Alloy

Gold or gold alloy fillings are a mix of gold and other metals such as silver and copper. This material is used for crowns, bridges, inlays and onlays

Advantages:

* Gold is extremely strong. Fillings made of gold alloy will last a long time.

* Gold alloy may have porcelain fused to the outside surface to make it tooth colored.

* No toxic or environmental effects have been identified to date.

Disadvantages:

* Gold has a high cost, more than all other materials.

* More that one dental appointment is needed to complete these fillings.

* Fillings are gold colored if not covered with porcelain.

* Allergic reactions are rare.

Porcelain

Porcelain is a mix of glass-like materials. Sometimes it is called ceramic. It is used for tooth colored crowns, bridges, inlays and onlays. Fillings made of porcelain are made in a dental lab by our highly trained and skilled technicians and sent back to us to bond into place.

Advantages:

* These will look like teeth, the most natural look we can offer.

* These will be very strong, in effect, splinting the tooth together.

* These fillings are tooth-colored.

* Porcelain usually lasts a long time.

* No toxic or environmental effects have been identified to date.

Disadvantages:

* Porcelain is somewhat brittle and there is always a risk of fracture, just like natural teeth.

* More than one dental appointment is needed to complete the filling.

* Porcelain has a high cost, similar to gold.

Schedule Your Appointment Today

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