Teeth Fillings
White Fillings
Many patients opt to replace their silver amalgam fillings with
white fillings. The reasons often include the following : aesthetics,
child patient, a known history of allergy to mercury, a history
of impaired renal function or a preference to have non-mercury
containing fillings in their mouth.
White fillings exist as an alternative to silver amalgam fillings
and have the distinct advantages of superior aesthetics, and
lack mercury content. They can last up to 10 years depending
on the diet and wear characteristic of the individual patient.
Types:
· Direct Composite Resin
· Indirect Composite Resin
· Porcelain Inlays or Onlays
Silver Fillings
Prior to white fillings , amalgam was the defacto standard as a tooth restorative material.
As a basic restorative material, it continues to be the most
durable and the most economical. In general, it also possesses
a far higher wear resistance than white fillings and therefore
may still be the treatment option of choice in the back of the
mouth where strength and durability are often a factor.
However, mercury fillings (amalgam), have the significant disadvantage
of generating toxic mercury vapour during chewing. Although
this vapour falls well below the daily toxic dose of mercury
for the average individual, it can nonetheless impair kidney
function in susceptible individuals, deposit in the brain, liver
and kidneys and in rare cases create a true allergic response. |
