colored fillings vs. silver amalgam fillings?
Silver amalgam fillings contain mercury as part of their composition. Free mercury is very toxic, however, when it is combined with silver, it forms a very stable compound which locks in the mercury and makes it inert. Since amalgam has been used for well over 100 years, there has yet to be a population study that shows any ill effects from amalgam usage. The early tooth-colored filling materials that were available did not hold up very well. They stained and chipped and wore down in a relatively short amount of time. The newer “composite” tooth-colored filling materials show much better promise. They look great, not showing the dark grey of the silver fillings. Their longevity is still not as long as the metal ones, but they are to the point where they are a much more esthetic alternative.
Silver amalgam fillings contain mercury as part of their composition. Free mercury is very toxic, however, when it is combined with silver, it forms a very stable compound which locks in the mercury and makes it inert. Since amalgam has been used for well over 100 years, there has yet to be a population study that shows any ill effects from amalgam usage. The early tooth-colored filling materials that were available did not hold up very well. They stained and chipped and wore down in a relatively short amount of time. The newer “composite” tooth-colored filling materials show much better promise. They look great, not showing the dark grey of the silver fillings. Their longevity is still not as long as the metal ones, but they are to the point where they are a much more esthetic alternative.