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Why It Is So Important To Use White Fillings Instead Of Silver Amalgam – By Dr. Jacques Doueck, DDS - 21st Century Dentist, Biomimetic Dentist and Ozone Dentist - Brooklyn, New York
Are silver fillings better than White fillings?
I personally haven’t done a silver filling in 16 years and I wouldn’t have one done in my mouth. Many other dentists, however, swear that silver fillings are better. In fact, one hundred million silver amalgam fillings are done in the United States every year.
White fillings, for the back teeth, have always been considered less enduring than, and hence inferior to, silver amalgam fillings, but new materials are now available with properties comparable to silver amalgam, and these are proving to be very successful. The life expectancy of a white filling depends, to a large extent, on its location in your mouth and how heavily your teeth come together when you bite. Your dentist can advise you on the life expectancy of your fillings.
The history of white fillings on back teeth goes way back to the 1970s, well before the technology was available to do them well. In the mid-‘80s, the materials were improved thanks to new technology which was developed to bond to dentin. I started placing these restorations in 1984. While it is true that in the ‘80s, these composite restorations were functionally inferior to the old silver amalgam restorations, that is no longer the case, provided that they are placed with proper technique by an experienced practitioner.
With what we already know about mercury, if silver amalgam was a new treatment discovered yesterday, it would have virtually no chance of gaining FDA approval. Indeed, in the interest of protecting their citizens’ health, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Finland and Canada have recently taken steps to limit and phase out the use of silver amalgam restorations. Dental amalgam fillings consist of 50 percent mercury. Mercury, which is highly toxic, can leak from the fillings, and low grade chronic mercury intoxication can give rise to symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, fatigue, outbursts of temper, stress intolerance, decreased simultaneous capacity, loss of self-confidence, indecision, headaches, depression and a metallic taste in the mouth, among others. Higher doses of mercury can cause serious damage to the brain, central nervous system and kidneys. While we don’t know if the amount of mercury released from dental amalgam is enough to cause illness, I don’t feel it’s something to take chances with.
My personal advice is not to be overly assertive with your dentist about how you want your back tooth restored. Listen to the options presented; ask what your choices are and what the dentist recommends. If your dentist is not offering the option of white fillings for your back teeth, there is probably a good reason. Many dentists do not feel comfortable using these compositeson back teeth, which requires special training. Pressing your dentist to place a specific restoration – even if he or she feels uncomfortable performing the procedure – is almost certainly more dangerous than accepting their advice to use an alternative material.
Dr. Jacques Doueck, DDS is a 21st Century Dentist, Biomimetic Dentist and Ozone Dentist who specializes in Pain-Free, Cutting Edge, State of the Art Dentistry in Brooklyn New York. To read more about him or to visit his practice, please go HERE. Also you can find his Videos on our TV Channel. Dr. Doueck is also an Expert Contributor to My Healthiest Life.
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