Amalgam fillings – do they absolutely need to be replaced?
Mercury, copper, zinc, tin, and silver are the components of amalgam fillings. For many years, it was the most popular filling for tooth cavities, used in almost every dental office not only in Poland but also worldwide.
In recent years, shrouded in a bad legend, amalgam has been almost completely replaced by light-cured fillings. In Japan, it has been banned for over 40 years, and in Scandinavian countries since the early 1990s. In Poland, the ban on its use applies only to pregnant women, but either way, it is practically no longer used in any commercial dental office.
An important question is, if we are still "owners" of such a filling (placed at a time when it was the norm), should we worry and replace it as soon as possible with a modern filling? Many dentists will say yes, it is worth doing, while others will present an alternative point of view.
Where do these dilemmas come from?
Well, a belief has taken root among dental patients that amalgam fillings are harmful because they contain mercury. However, many studies conducted worldwide prove that amalgam fillings do not have any negative impact on the human immune system and pose no threat to human life and health.
So why is everyone afraid of mercury?
Because mercury is an element that is highly toxic to humans, but like most poisons – only in the right dose and concentration. Once mercury enters the bloodstream, it goes to the kidneys, where blood filtration takes place, the product of which is excreted urine. Thanks to this, the body gets rid of toxic elements. It is worse when there are too many toxins. Then, kidney damage can occur, and consequently even brain damage. The probability of this happening as a result of using amalgam fillings is virtually non-existent.
Existing amalgam fillings have their downsides, which are:
Inability to bond properly with dentin – they may contribute to the development of caries.
Unacceptable aesthetics nowadays – amalgam has a dark silver color.
They can fall out.
They make it difficult to observe whether caries is developing in the tooth.
They may influence the development of autoimmune diseases (a highly controversial view, with divided opinions among scientists on this topic).
The advantages of amalgam fillings include:
Durability – when properly placed, they can serve their purpose for up to 30 years!
They are harder and more resistant to compression than composite fillings.
Removing a properly functioning filling always involves the need to properly prepare and clean the cavity and insert a new filling, which sometimes carries other risks in the form of weakening the tooth, or sometimes the need to remove a fragment of it.
To change, or not to change?
Although opinions are divided, at Luxdentica we believe that it is probably worth replacing an existing, old amalgam filling with a modern composite one. True, we have a sentiment for old things, we like beautiful old cars whose engines were once powered by leaded petrol, but for many years everyone has known that this was quite a toxic technology ;) So it will be better for aesthetics and our health if we get rid of this relic of the past and decide to replace the old-fashioned amalgam with light-cured composite fillings. However, as is often the case in life, there is no compulsion.
