As a leading holistic dentistry clinic, Sydney Dental Aesthetics and Implants is concerned with more than just the aesthetics of your smile. We also look at how your mouth affects your body’s overall health, and seek to provide the treatments and procedures that best contribute to your total wellness. This is why we are committed to professional amalgam removal.
If you previously received fillings, chances are you were fitted with a substance known as amalgam. Though still in use in some practices today, it is not desirable for a variety of
reasons including:
- Fillings contain mercury, a potentially noxious metal to humans.
- Fillings can expand or shrink in size resulting in cracked or broken teeth.
- As they are not bonded, Amalgam fillings will corrode and leak overtime leading to decay.
- Aesthetically they are unappealing, with some fillings becoming black with age.
Mercury Toxicity
Amalgam fillings contain almost 50% mercury, a toxic substance for a human to ingest. As teeth succumb to the normal wear and tear from daily usage, chewing food or grinding teeth, the fillings can slowly release mercury. This mercury is absorbed in the soft tissue in a mouth and slowly builds up in our bodies. Studies have traced the movement of this harmful metal from our mouths to our brains, adrenal glands, and breast milk.
Quality Removal
Practitioners should abide by certain protocols when removing amalgam from the mouth. We ensure patients undergo safe mercury amalgam removal with the following procedures:
- Use of tungsten carbide burs to remove amalgam, which minimizes the heat generated which helps to curb vapours released and also shortens the length of the procedure.
- Rubber dam used to prevent inhalation and ingestion of harmful debris during removal process.
- High strength evacuation avoids mercury recirculation and inhalation.
Alternatives to Mercury Fillings
At SDAI we use only the highest quality biocompatible materials for our restorations when removing amalgam.
The benefits of using a bonded restorative solution include:
- Bonded restorations are custom created to ensure a better seal of your teeth
- Porcelain fillings are stronger and are much more resilient than amalgam
- The materials used are not only tooth reinforcing but closely match the natural aesthetic of your teeth
- Porcelain is more stable and won’t expand/ contract in extreme temperatures, a process which can cause your teeth to be sensitive and weaken over time.
- Porcelain or Composite resins may be used to replace your amalgams however the best choice of material for you is situation dependent.
Whether you are seeking to remove your old fillings to upgrade the overall appearance of your mouth or because of health concerns, the holistic dentistry services of SDAI will ensure that removal is safe, clean, and professional.