Silver Fillings (Amalgam)

Amalgam consists of a powder of ground up mainly silver and copper and some other metals mixed with a little drop of mercury. You shake it all together (amalgamate). After a few seconds of "trituration" the thing is kind of maleable and putty like. It is placed into the cavity preperation and initially hardens in a few minutes. It is very important to note that there is basically no murcury coming out of a silver filling once it is amalgamated. They are quite safe as determined by extensive scientific clinical studies-(See links below.)
Silver fillings were very common in the past and were the standard of care, and still are, because they hold up quite well to biting forces. If a dentist is still doing silver fillings, that is still an acceptable method of treatment. There are a few drawbacks to "silver" fillings: 1. They do not bond to the tooth, they basically just fill the cavity. 2. They are silver so there is a cosmetic concern. Now, how many people are looking at your back teeth trying to see in there? If you know them that well, it probably does not matter what your teeth look like. Still, we are all concerned with appearance and want the most cosmetic solution available. 3. thermal conductivity is better/lower with white fillings.

Insights on Mercury toxicity

http://bdsinsights.blogspot.in/2012/03/insights-on-mercury-toxicity.html

See the ADA sites here for more scientific reviewed studies on this sometimes controversial subject:

Amalgam (Dental Filling Options)

http://www.ada.org/3094.aspx

Comments

Apple Invents a new Health feature for AirPods that will provide diagnosis & monitoring of Bruxism

Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to a possible future health related feature regarding the diagnosis and monitoring of bruxism using motion sensors in AirPods. Teeth grinding and jaw clenching (bruxism) are the most common parafunctional behavior manifested during sleep and awakeness. Awake bruxism has been mostly associated with emotions like anxiety, stress, frustration or tension. During sleep it causes sleep disorders and arousals. Individuals are mostly unaware of the occurrent and severity of their bruxing habits. The unawareness results in a myriad of orofacial muscle pain and dental consequences like teeth damage, wear and fractures. Commercial devices in dental practice to monitor and treat bruxism are expensive, inconvenient for frequent daily use. For instance, Polysomnography (PSG) studies that target the monitoring of sleep bruxism, require patients to sleep in a clinical setting overnight. Further, ...

Esthetic Oral Rehabilitation with Veneers

Porcelain veneers had long been considered to be only an esthetic solution. However, their range of indications has been steadily increasing, making ceramic veneers a highly viable alternative to classic, far more invasive forms of restorative treatment. Today, veneers can be used to handle esthetics (discolored teeth, fractured and worn teeth, diastemas, dental defects, etc.) and to restore the biomechanics of the dentition, as well as many other indications. Classifications of Veneer Preparations Referred to as no, minimal, or conventional preparation, veneer classifications—or lack there of—create a large gray zone of misunderstanding and miscommunication with patients and within the dental profession. Left unanswered, questions regarding tooth structure removal, finish lines and margins, and other aspects can cause confusion in practice. Flaws and inaccuracies in previously proposed preparation guidelines make those guidelines irrelevant . To dissolve uncertainty, this v...

Orthodontics for Esthetic Dental Treatment: Symbiotic Efforts for Optimal Results

Human fascination with beauty and esthetic trends is continuously evolving; moreover, public awareness and desire to improve facial appearances are at the highest level. This trend of heightened public awareness and expectation is paving a new way of dentistry toward a more comprehensive approach with esthetic principles at its core. The oral health of the patient and his or her dentition are fundamental in dental treatment. However, the final esthetic outcome should be among the first steps in treatment planning. The ideal esthetic approach in dental treatment planning often requires a multidisciplinary approach engaging various dental professionals. This process requires thorough communication among dental practitioners and a basic understanding of what each discipline can provide. FACIAL ANALYSIS Facial evaluation is an integral part of patient examination. It starts with evaluating facial symmetry, as symmetric faces are considered more beautiful than those that are n...

BDS INSIGHTS

Search This Blog