Metal/Mercurt Filling?!
Question:
Metal/Mercurt Filling?
Is it true that mercury/metal fillings are detrimental to your health? If so, is it safe to have a procedure where they are removed and replaced with clear ones?
Answers:
I'm a dentist.
To answer your questions:
Is mercury detrimental to your health? Yes.
Are amalgam fillings (which contain mercury detrimental to your health? No.
Is it safe to have these amalgams replaced with clear (tooth-colored) fillings? Yes.
Is it APPROPRIATE to have these amalgams replaced, even though they are strucurally sound and not showing signs of breakdown or recurrent decay? No.
There has been a great deal of dispute between doctors and tree-huggers about the risks of amalgam fillings. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that amalgam fillings cause any risk to your health. The ADA and other entities have studied this matter extensively.
It makes sense that this would be the case: amalgam fillings have very little mercury in them to begin with. Furthermore, the amount of mercury that is released from the filling over time is exceedingly little. And when it's released, where does it go? Down your GI tract, where mercury uptake into the blood is poor.
If that doesn't convince you, then consider this: dentists make more money by placing tooth-colored fillings than they do placing amalgam fillings. I place tooth-colored (i.e. composite) fillings not only because patients want maximum cosmetics even on their back teeth, but also because I make more money by placing composites. However, there are situations where I am more than willing to place amalgams (such as when patients don't want to pay the extra money for a composite), and there are situations where I won't place anything but an amalgam.
The unfortunate reality is that there are some doctors who are so money-hungry that they tell their patients that amalgams are dangerous and that they should be replaced. Doing so is not only fraudulent, but it is malpractice.
Want to raise hell for the doctor who suggested replacing all your amalgams simply because they're amalgams? Threaten to report him/her to his state dental board for his/her recommendation unless he compensates you in some way.
I hope this helps.