Think Replacing Your Silver Fillings with Composites is a Waste of Time? It's Not!

By Arthur Kezian

Millions of people have traditional silver fillings in their mouths.  While they may not like the look of them, most of those people don't see a reason to head to a dentist to replace their fillings.

But here are 4 reasons why replacing silver fillings with composites ISN'T a waste of time:

1.      You can wind up with a brighter smile

If you're like most people with silver fillings, your filled teeth look dark and dingy - leaving you with a smile that could definitely be brighter and whiter. 

Luckily, composite fillings are white, so they're practically invisible once they're inside your mouth.  As an added benefit, a good dentist can blend the resin so that it's a perfect match to your teeth - meaning that no one will know you've got fillings, no matter how many cavities you've suffered!

2.      You can get the mercury out of your mouth

When replacing silver fillings, you remove the mercury threat that's lurking in your mouth.  That's right; those traditional silver filings have mercury in them!  Sure, it's a small amount, but the Food and Drug Administration calls it a "moderate risk".

Composite fillings are made out of resin, so they're a much safer alternative.  You won't have to worry about the FDA assessing their risk anytime soon!

3.      You won't have to worry about them breaking

How many times have you wound up back in your dentist's chair, thanks to a filling that broke, cracked, or chipped?  And, if the damage was bad enough, your dentist had to grind down your tooth and put a crown over it. Talk about uncomfortable!

There's another big problem that comes from broken silver fillings - tooth decay.  Even if your filling only cracks, it makes it easy for bacteria to get inside your tooth.  Plus, the silver fillings themselves can leak - which will rot your teeth!

When changing silver fillings with composites, you get to take advantage of strong resin - which is stronger material, with a stronger bond.

4.       You can eat without being in pain

For some reason, those old silver fillings lead to more tooth sensitivity.  As a result, you might shy away from that cold glass of iced tea or that bowl of ice cream.

But when you replace your silver fillings with composites, your tooth sensitivity woes will likely go away.  That way, you'll be free to eat whatever you want, without tooth pain getting in the way!

Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777 

-N.S.