Amalgam Fillings – The Myths, The Reality And The Alternatives

Amalgam has been used for dental fillings for a long time, but things are starting to change.

Most of you reading this will probably have had an amalgam filling at some point in your life. It has been the most commonly used material for this and has stood the test of time as far as its practical uses are concerned. With people now looking for more aesthetic solutions to dental restorations, plus concern about some aspects of the mercury used in amalgam, alternative solutions are now being used more than ever, including at our Epsom dental clinic.

In today’s blog, we are going to take a look at amalgam and discuss why it has been so widely used and for so long, along with a few of the sometimes very strange myths around it as well as genuine concerns. Finally, we will look at the alternative filling options that we have available at the Clocktower Dental, Implant & Facial Centre.

The facts

Amalgam was first used as a material for dental fillings in the early 19th century. The fact that it has been used for this long does indicate that it has been a success. Amalgam is made from a combination of metals, including tin, silver, copper and mercury among others. As you can see then, it is perhaps not surprising that it offered a high level of strength, especially important for the rear teeth that do the heavy work of chewing.

Amalgam fillings are not without faults though. These include the fact that amalgam is a dark colour which contrasts with your teeth. These dark fillings can even be seen in rear teeth if you laugh or yawn and are even more visible towards the front of the mouth.

There have also been concerns about the use of highly toxic mercury that is used in it. While all evidence suggests that it is safe to use in this form, some people still feel uncomfortable with this. There is also a move away from amalgam due to concerns about mercury from fillings leaching into the water supply. The bottom line then is that amalgam has been important but that it’s time may be coming to an end.

The myths

In addition to the mercury concerns, there have been a few other myths that have developed over the years. Perhaps the most amusing of these came from the American actress, Lucille Ball, who claimed that she was picking up radio signals through her amalgam filled teeth. She also claimed to be receiving morse code like signals too. Scientists tested this theory and found this to be very unlikely indeed.

Some believe that amalgam is magnetic and can affect things like MRI scans. This is entirely untrue and amalgam is most definitely not magnetic.

One that is very rare but can actually happen, is that some people experience electric shocks from them. These are similar to static electricity rather than a high voltage shock and can happen if two metals come into contact with each other. Where this does happen, it is likely to be both rare and very mild.

The alternatives

The main alternative to amalgam fillings is the use of white teeth fillings that are increasingly being used by both general and cosmetic dentists as a practical and aesthetic solution to filling teeth.

The most obvious advantage of these is that they can be made to match the colour of the natural tooth, making them almost invisible. This is in contrast to the dark colour of amalgam. People are increasingly turning to this for a more attractive smile.

While there have been some concerns about the strength of these tooth coloured fillings in the past, great strides have been made to improve this and they now almost match the strength of older style fillings. There may still be situations such as large cavities in the rear teeth, where more strength may be needed. One aesthetic solution to this could be inlays or onlays which again, can be made in a natural shade.

Aesthetics aren’t the only benefit of these modern fillings. To place amalgam, the cavity has to be shaped so that it can be placed securely into it. With white fillings, less of the natural tooth usually needs to be removed. This helps to preserve the natural tooth structure as much as possible. Amalgam also shrinks over time and can leave tiny spaces where bacteria can enter and which may lead to further tooth decay. White fillings adhere to the natural tooth much better and will not move away from the tooth, helping to prevent further decay from occurring.

For people that are concerned about mercury in fillings, there is the added bonus too that white fillings contain no mercury at all and even worried patients need have no concern about their safety.

Times change, and although amalgam fillings have had a very good run in the dental world, it isn’t hard to see why many dentists and patients are switching to white fillings for restorative purposes. If you live in the Epsom area and would like to find out more about how we can restore decaying teeth and leave them looking natural too, why not get in touch with the Clocktower Dental, Implant & Facial Centre by giving us a call on 01372 720136.