The use of amalgam filling material goes back 150 years. Unfortunately these fillings use mercury, a hazardous substance. It has a silver color and was used in thermometers years ago. The phrase mad as a hatter comes from English hatters who cleaned hats with mercury and eventually went mad. Dentists call this restoration material amalgam but most patients refer to at as a silver filling.
There have been reports that mercury is related to Alzheimer's and Multiple Sclerosis. Some of the possible symptoms are gastrointestinal problems, sleep disturbances, concentration problems, memory problems, lack of drive, restlessness,bleeding gums and other mouth disorders. If you choose to remove your amalgam filling material, there is no guarantee that you will get better. So a dental patient must be cautious about removing this material and do so without any promises. Removing old fillings will not necessarily relieve symptoms of mercury poisoning. However, some patients have had dramatic changes in their health after the amalgam removal.
When you think about the positives and negatives, you are often driven to refuse a amalgam filling. It has a silver color and is certainly not natural looking. Because it is made of metal, the material transmits hot and cold more easily than a white filling. The material has mercury in it and there are in fact countries that have outlawed its use. A white filling has no mercury. However, metal lasts much longer than a white filling. It also is durable and can put up with a great deal of stress.
Our Atlanta dental team, the Atlanta Dental Group PC, is one of the most experienced in Atlanta at providing dental care, with over 20 years of experience serving Atlanta's dental needs. Our dentists are amalgam free atlanta dentists, and therefore cannot provide you with an amalgam filling. Our dentists are dedicated to their patients' good health and well being. You are welcome to join our family of patients. If you would like to schedule a free dental consultion with our Atlanta Cosmetic Dentist, Dr. Mark Allan Padolsky, make an appointment by calling 404-874-7428.