Amalgam Fillings
One of the most valued treatments for patients is Amalgam fillings. This type of filling is also known as dental amalgam, it is one of the most tried and true restorative material available. It is not only highly resistant, and durable to wear, it is also inexpensive.
What is Dental Amalgam?
Amalgam is made from a variety of elements, such as:
- Tin
- Copper
- Silver
- Mercury
- Metallic Elements
There has been questions to whether dental amalgam is a safe treatment because of its traces of mercury. The positive news is that amalgam is safe to use because all of the elements combined makes it a safe and stable to use for teeth filling.
According to the, Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization, National Institutes of Health and major health organizations have deemed amalgam as effective, reliable and safe options to use for restorative treatment.
Pros:
- Well tolerated by patients
- Withstands high loads of chewing
- Great to use for restoring molars located in the back of the mouth
- Effective to use for cavity preparation, where it is a challenge to keep dry during filling replacement, especially with deep fillings located below the gum line
- It is biocompatible
- Very low allergic response
Cons:
- In order to prep the tooth, more tooth structure may need to be removed in order to place amalgam fillings compared to other kinds of fillings.
