Benefits of amalgam-free dental care

For many decades, dentists have readily used metal amalgam when placing dental fillings for cavities. While amalgam is effective at restoring the shape of a tooth after decay,  it is composed of 50 percent mercury, which has been well-established as a toxic substance that has detrimental health effects on humans and the environment. Read on to learn more about the benefits of amalgam-free dental care from Dr. Titania Tong, dentist in Central, HK.

Composite resin: a biocompatible alternative to amalgam

Metal amalgam is a strong and affordable filling option, but advances in dental technologies and materials have enabled dentists to use safer, healthier options for fillings and other dental restorations. Composite resin is a tooth-colored material and is biocompatible with the body, which means it has less chance of causing allergic reactions, toxicity, or galvanism when used in dentistry. Additionally, composite resin is:  

• Conservative: less healthy tooth structure needs to be removed when placing a composite resin filling than what is required for amalgam.
• Durable: composite resin forms a strong bond with the natural tooth; this helps reduce the chance of your filling falling out or bacterial infiltration, which can contribute to further decay.
• Natural-looking: because composite resin is tooth coloured, it easily blends in with your smile when compared to a silver-coloured amalgam filling.
• No attraction of EMF to the body : being non metal they do not act as an antenna for electromagnetic radiation to enter the body to cause harm.

Some patients are interested in having their metal amalgam fillings removed and replaced with composite resin due to concerns about metal amalgam toxicity. When doing this, it is important to work with a dentist who is educated in safe amalgam removal and takes stringent precautions to ensure your safety, and that of the dental team and the environment, when removing metal amalgam. This is necessary because the removal process can inadvertently release mercury vapors and particles into the air or bloodstream if proper precautions are not taken. Your dentist can explain their amalgam removal processes and answer any questions you have about amalgam-free dental care.

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