Pros and Cons of Amalgam Fillings

Oral cavity’s are among the most prevalent dental problems encountered by countless dental patients today. Due to this, the wellness of the damaged tooth more likely deteriorates, leaving your oral health in great danger. Fortunately, oral cavities are curable and can be address in various ways. Most of the time, dental professionals treat the teeth via dental filling. In dentistry, one way to perform dental filling is through the utilization of amalgam. Amalgam is an alloy that comes from mercury, silver and copper. This kind of metal is used for treating and filling cavities, leaving the teeth secure from any bad elements that may trigger another cavity. According to dentists, amalgam fillings are also known as the silver fillings. Aside from mercury, silver and copper, amalgam is also manufactured from tin and zinc. Contact the after hours dentists for more info.

In the past, this filing was only used by dentists to treat tooth decay. However, as time passes by, it is now known as an efficient treatment in dealing with damaged tooth that requires tooth filling around the globe. This treatment entails various advantages that can relish by most dental patients. These advantages are proven by most experts in dental industry. Studies show that amalgam is a lot more durable compared to other types such as gold, porcelain and composite. It has been said that it can last at least ten to fifteen years, much durable to composite or tooth-colored dental fillings. Aside from its durability, they also have huge strength that can withstand any forces exerted by the patient – whether a person chews or bites something. What is more is that these  fillings are much cheaper compared to other tooth filling types. And since they are sensible and affordable, dental patients won’t have a problem in opting for this kind of dental treatment

 

Speaking of advantages, there are also other things that need to consider when it comes to the cons of this. Indeed, no matter how great amalgam sounds, there are still risks attached into it. Since a lot of people wish to have dental fillings without affecting the aesthetics of their teeth, amalgam appears to be not perfect for them. It features poor aesthetics. Since they are made from metals, they contradict on the natural color of the teeth. Aside from having poor aesthetics, amalgam can also destroy tooth structure. This type of filling requires healthy parts of the tooth to be removed in order to create space to hold the substance. With this, there’s a huge chance that your tooth may get damaged. Discoloration is also one negative feedback with it. It is because this type of filling can make a grayish effect on the teeth, leaving your teeth terribly ugly and unhealthy to look at. Apart from destroying the color of the teeth, it can also trigger cracks and fractures. Even though the teeth normally expand and contracts due to different types of liquids, there’s still a huge probability that the teeth experience a larger degree of expansion or contraction due to the filling materials of amalgam. With this, there is a high density that the teeth might crack or fracture. This is also not perfect for dental patients who have allergies on mercury. Plus, there also a study that says that amalgam filling is dangerous for pregnant women. For this reason, it is strongly advised that pregnant women should talk to their dentist first before engaging to amalgam filling.

 

If you want to avoid these fillings, you need to practice the right oral hygiene and attend regular dental visits. After all, what we all seek and desired is to have a celebrity smile with a pearly-white healthy teeth.