Research shoes that silver fillings do not strengthen teeth. So a silver filling in a tooth acts like a wedge, and when you bite down on the filling the forces are transmitted to the remaining tooth structure. If the filling is more than about a half of the width of the tooth there is a good chance that the tooth is going to crack, break or chip. If the filling is a third of the size of the tooth it is less likely but still a risk.
Silver filling material was usually packed in, there is no adhesion of the silver filling to the tooth, which we get with the tooth coloured materials. This adhesion means that the chewing forces are distributed over a greater amount of tooth, making the tooth about 15 – 20% stronger with the tooth colored compared to silver filling. The force of biting down with the chewing is also distributed across the whole tooth structure more evenly than it is with silver filling, meaning less likelihood of tooth cracking.
We are very concerned about excess exposure to mercury when amalgam fillings are removed. The process of drilling out amalgam fillings liberates quantities of mercury vapor and fine particulates that can be inhaled and absorbed through the lungs, and this is potentially harmful to patients, dentists, dental workers, and their fetuses.
Based on up-to-date scientific research, we follow rigorous recommendations for removing existing dental mercury amalgam fillings to assist in reducing the potential negative health outcomes of mercury exposure to patients, dental professionals, dental students, office staff, and others.
