Mercury Filling Removal
It’s a known fact that mercury is a substance that is harmful to humans. Mercury is a known toxic heavy metal, and it’s found in high amounts in what are deceptively called “silver fillings”. In fact silver or “amalgam” fillings are about 50% mercury. Here are some quick facts about this still-popular dental product.
How Mercury Can Negatively Affect The Body
You might be surprised by the side-effects of mercury exposure in the body. Much of the symptoms involved include neurological and behavior disorders such as emotional instability, headaches, insomnia, memory problems, and tremors. Mercury can cause damage to the kidneys, brain, nervous system, and can even damage the health of unborn children.
When it comes right down to it, it’s a mystery why these dental products are still being used in modern dentistry at all.
There are also superficial problems with mercury fillings; for instance, the “metal mouth” look that a lot of people don’t like. Surely there are better, more “tooth-like” options available. In Rigby, mercury filling removal is becoming more popular – and we provide it at our Rigby dental clinic.
Problems With Mercury Filling Application To The Tooth
Since mercury fillings don’t have any adhesive quality, they have to be forced or wedged into place after the cavity has been cleaned up and properly shaped. The problem with this forceful application is that it creates microfractures in the tooth. These are ideal places for plaque and bacteria to collect and fester. In short, while a mercury filling may solve the problem of a cavity in the short-term, it can create long-term problems and actually weaken the tooth over time.
What’s more, mercury fillings expand and contract with temperature changes (hot and cold food and drinks), which deepens and exaggerates these microfractures and further weakens the tooth as the years go by.
All of this is a big contributor to why mercury fillings often fall out and need to be replaced.
The Solution: Resin-Based Dental Fillings
Cedar Creek Dental offers resin fillings, which are a far better alternative to amalgam fillings for a number of reasons.
- Resin fillings aren’t harmful to the body – they’re far more biocompatible.
- They last longer than mercury fillings.
- They have a natural adhesive quality, allowing for more gentle application; you don’t have to worry about microfractures with resin filling application.
- Resin fillings don’t expand and contract with temperature changes the way mercury fillings do – another reason behind their longer lifespan.
- Resin fillings look and feel just like natural teeth – no metal mouth! – so people won’t even know you’ve had any work done.
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Schedule Your Appointment Today
If you have any reservations regarding dental care treatment and have been putting off scheduling an appointment for some much-needed work, Dr. Mikesell is an expert in the industry and will take care of most of your Dental needs.