Amalgam or composite fillings
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Since the look of a tooth, or a brilliant white smile, is especially important to us, the more frequent demands of patients are that the gray seal is replaced with white, or composite fillings in the color of the teeth. The other reason is rumors about the harmfulness of amaglane filling, but the fact is that both seals have their advantages and disadvantages.
Amalgam fillings
Contemporary amalgam fillings, among patients known as silver or black seals, are a mixture of mercury, silver, tin, copper and zinc. Mercury, which makes up 50 percent of the compound, binds other metals and provides a strong and durable fillings. The basic benefits of amalgam fillings are their durability, cost-effectiveness, and the fact that their effectiveness has been confirmed by dental use longer than the 150 years ago.
This type of fillings is usually used in the molars, and before you use them, your dentist will prepare your tooth so that it will cover all caries, treat your tooth if it necessary, and close it with amalgamine filling.
Are there risks of amalgam filling?
Experts are agree: mercury in dental amalgam is not toxic because its chemical composition changes in contact with other metals found in amalgan fillings.
The disadvantages of amalgam are of an aesthetic nature, and in rare cases allergy or hypersensitivity of patients to metals in the stuffing occurs.
Composite fillings
Composite or white fillings are represent a combination of ceramics and plastics, and there are tooth coloured. The basic advantages of composite fillings are their color, but also they are easily adhered to the tooth surface. On the other hand, their durability is roughly half of life of amalgam fillings, which is on average between 5 and 7 years old.
In recent years, in our dental office, composite fillings are used mainly for high quality and durable materials. This certainly depends on the size of the seal, as well as the way of oral hygiene. It is recommended that regular dental checkups are performed at least once a year, and leave it to your dentist to decide if a seal should be changed.
