Most everyone has heard of fillings and cavities. Cavities are areas of damage to tooth enamel caused by plaque and bacteria. Once formed, cavities require repair as soon as possible. If left untreated, the decay can spread deeper and wider, requiring a bigger repair and leaving openings for infection to set in.
During a repair, the decay is removed from the enamel after numbing the area around the tooth. After the decay is removed, a hole (or defect) is left in the enamel. A filling is the special dental material used to “fill” the hole and make the tooth whole again. Over the years, “a filling” has become the term used to describe the entire procedure (“getting a filling done”).
Some filling materials are made of silver metal. Most patients prefer not to use silver fillings unless they are in the back of the mouth. Some patients do not want silver fillings at all. While the metal material is very strong and holds up well under the strong chewing forces in the mouth, a newer filling material is available that is also very strong but not silver.
Composite resin fillings can be used in any area of the mouth. The composite resin is easily matched to the natural color of the teeth. Color matching allows the fillings to blend in seamlessly, making them invisible when speaking or chewing.
Dr. Jaquery does not use amalgam (silver) fillings. Over the years, there has been concern about the safety of amalgam fillings because they use a blend of copper, silver, tin and zinc bound by elemental mercury. Dentists have used this blended metal to fill teeth for more than 100 years. However, the concern is that exposure to the vapor and particles from mercury can cause a variety of health problems. Although studies indicate that there are no measurable health risks to patients who have silver fillings, mercury is toxic when we are exposed at high levels.
Modern dentistry uses composite (tooth-colored), porcelain, and gold fillings that do not contain mercury.
Dental care is essential health care, and when you have a dentist who understands the link between your oral health and your overall well-being, a dental visit becomes an entirely different experience. At the practice of Alexandra Jaquery DDS, MS, you can expect:
You will also find the expert guidance you need to achieve optimal dental health and ultimately improve your overall health.
