frequently asked questions
What's the Problem with mercury silver fillings (amalgam)?
What are the alternatives to mercury silver fillings?
Why has Dr. Miller chosen to avoid the use of mercury silver fillings (amalgam)?
Should I have my mercury silver fillings replaced?
Do you accept my insurance?
Do you offer price quotes over the telephone?
What are my payment options?
Are dental x-rays safe and necessary?
What's the Problem with mercury silver fillings (amalgam)?
Mercury fillings have been used in dentistry since the Civil War era. They are an amalgam of 50% mercury, mixed with silver, copper, tin and other metals. Mercury fillings were invented as a cheap alternative to gold. Because they are easy to place and inexpensive, mercury fillings have been widely used for 150 years. So what is the controversy?
- By volume, amalgam fillings contain over 50% mercury—one of the most toxic substances on earth.
- Mercury amalgam technology is ancient by modern medical standards. Mercury amalgam was standardized for manufacture in 1895 and dentists have been using it to fill teeth for at least 160 years.
- Mercury silver fillings do not bond (stick) to the tooth structure. This requires the dentist to wedge the filling into the tooth to keep it from falling out. However, creating this wedge effect requires the removal of excessive amounts of healthy tooth structure—weakening the tooth and predisposing it to cracks and fracture.
- The lack of a bond between the filling and the tooth permits bacteria to leak underneath the filling. This creates decay that is often not detected until the tooth has been further damaged.
- Just like in a thermometer, the mercury part of the filling expands and contracts. These expansion and contraction cycles wedge the tooth apart. Eventually the tooth will fatigue, crack and split. Repairing a cracked tooth usually requires either a root canal and/or a crown.
In contrast, modern tooth-colored restorations are adhesive, highly cosmetic, and mercury-free. These esthetic restorations are strongly bonded to the tooth using a state-of-the-art technique that intimately binds the material to the surrounding tooth structure. Using these advanced materials and techniques, we can restore the original health and beauty of the tooth.
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What are the alternatives to mercury silver fillings?
Mercury silver fillings saved many teeth from extraction and they provided great service to the dental field for a long time. But today's materials are far superior and look like real teeth, allowing dentists to provide true restorations.
There are outstanding alternatives to mercury fillings. For small cavities, tooth colored, composite resin fillings are excellent. For larger problems, there are options such as reinforced porcelain or resin inlays, onlays and crowns that are custom fabricated. These materials are beautiful and can be bonded to a tooth so the final result is as strong as the natural tooth.
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Why has Dr. Miller chosen to avoid the use of mercury silver fillings (amalgam)?
His commitment to state-of-the-art, advanced dentistry, precludes the use of silver filling material (called amalgam) to restore your teeth. These are some of the reasons why:
- Amalgam or “silver” dental fillings contain 50% mercury.
- Mercury is a one of the most toxic substances known on earth. World renowned mercury toxicologists state that no amount of exposure to mercury vapor can be considered harmless.
- There are no studies proving that amalgam is safe when placed in the human body. In fact, amalgam has never been subjected to FDA testing. If it were being introduced today, it is highly unlikely that it would ever receive FDA approval as a dental device.
- OSHA and the EPA classify dental amalgam as a hazardous and toxic waste. They mandate that all amalgam removed from your tooth must be stored in a specialized container to prevent personal and environmental exposure to the continuous release of hazardous mercury vapor.
- Scientific research has demonstrated that mercury, even in small amounts, can damage the brain and nervous system, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, thyroid gland, pituitary gland, adrenal gland, blood cells, enzymes and hormones. Mercury is also known to suppress the T-cells of immune system by as much as 100%.
- Mercury readily passes through the placental barrier in pregnant women and can cause permanent damage to the brain of the developing baby. Mercury appears in the amniotic fluid just two days after placement of an amalgam filling in a pregnant woman. Mercury is also concentrated in breast milk.
- Mercury vapor is released from mercury dental fillings. The release of mercury can be increased as much as 15-fold by chewing, brushing, eating acidic foods and drinking hot liquids.
- The World Health Organization has concluded that the daily intake of mercury from amalgam fillings exceeds the combined daily intake of mercury derived from air, water and food (including fish). Studies by the National Institute of Health confirm a direct correlation between mercury levels in a person's blood, urine and stool and the number of amalgam fillings in their teeth.
- Mercury vapor released from amalgam fillings is rapidly absorbed and accumulated in body tissue.
- Scientific research has shown high levels of mercury in the brains of individuals dead from Alzheimer's disease. Mercury has been shown to effect the brain in ways similar to Lou Gehrig's Disease, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, Autism and Alzheimer's disease.
- Placing amalgam fillings often requires drilling away large amounts of healthy tooth structure. These fillings can profoundly weaken the tooth and often lead to the placement of much larger fillings, crowns and, in many cases, root canals.
- Modern dental materials now exist that are more biologically compatible than dental amalgam. When placed with meticulous attention to detail, the new materials are highly cosmetic and can reinforce the tooth. By using these techniques, we may be able to prevent fractured teeth and the need for some root canals and crowns.
Should I have my mercury silver fillings replaced?
Our recommendation is that you never allow another amalgam filling to be place in your mouth. The decision to replace amalgam fillings that are already in your mouth needs to be carefully considered. There are many reasons to consider the replacement of your existing amalgam fillings:
- Some people come to us because they have read and learned enough about mercury issues that they have decided they don't want this material in their mouths anymore and request that we replace it.
- Still others understand that mercury silver fillings are an obsolete material. They have learned that these fillings will eventually damage the underlying tooth structure and have elected to replace them with modern materials before irreversible damage has occurred.
In our opinion, any of these is a wise and valid reason for replacing the old mercury amalgam. We won't take the position that everyone in our office should replace all his or her previous amalgam fillings. We do, however, feel a responsibility to educate everyone on the issues surrounding mercury fillings and to let them know that a mercury-free mouth is always available at our office. It's always your choice—however, we think it's a pretty good choice for most people. Dr. Miller wouldn't allow mercury amalgam to be in his mouth, or in the mouths of his family or team.
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Do you accept my insurance?
Our goal is to always help you maximize your dental insurance coverage. Please keep in mind that the prime mandate of insurance companies is cost containment—a strategy that does not necessarily equate to high quality dental care. Our office provides a variety of payment options to help make quality dental care affordable.
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Do you offer price quotes over the telephone?
That’s almost impossible to do. It’s a lot like asking how much a car costs without having any idea about the make, model or desired options. Because a full conversation and a complete dental analysis are needed, we ask that you come in for a consultation. Stop by, we know you’ll be glad you did.
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What are my payment options?
High quality esthetic dentistry is an excellent investment in your health and well-being. We have a variety of payment options to help make quality dental care affordable. Many of our patients choose to pay for their dental investment over time. We work with companies such as Dental Fee Plan who provide credit options specifically for dental procedures. These companies offer the following benefits:
- No initial payments
- 3 and 6 month no interest options
- Low, fixed rates with terms ranging from 18 to 60 months
- No prepayment penalty
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Are dental x-rays safe and necessary?
When all sources of environmental exposure to radiation are considered, dental x-rays contribute less than 0.1% to the overall burden while medical exposure contributes 20%. The impact of dental x-rays is so low that when experts calculate the “estimated genetically significant dose” from medical procedures, dental exposure is not even considered. In other words, you will receive more radiation from your environment in one day living in Colorado Springs than you will with your yearly dental x-rays.
Many people are concerned about the potential health effects of dental x-rays. The goal is to balance the enormous diagnostic benefits of x-rays with any potential risk.
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