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Rocky Hill Mercury-Free Dentist

From the early 1800s until the 1990s, metal fillings were the standard of dental care if you had a cavity. These fillings were an amalgam, or mixture, of different metals. Amalgam fillings are sometimes called silver fillings, though they contain more than 50 percent mercury. Before placing a metal filling, a dentist must blend the liquid mercury with a mixture of powdered tin, copper, and silver. He then places the putty-like mixture in the cavity, where it hardens.

Mercury Amalgam Fillings

Amalgam fillings have some advantages. For example, this mixture of metals is very strong by itself and hard to break.a row of teeth with amalgam fillings before patient sees a mercury-free dentist But there are a number of disadvantages:

  • Unfortunately, amalgam fillings will weaken your tooth, making it more likely to crack.
  • To fill a cavity with amalgam, Dr. Michalski would have to remove more tooth structure than if he were using newer filling material.
  • Also, metal fillings may be visible when you open your mouth wide.
  • Another drawback of metal fillings is that they can be sensitive after being placed. That’s because the metals in amalgam conduct heat and cold. This pain can persist for up to eight weeks.
  • Over years of wear, metal fillings may begin to corrode in your mouth. However, this does help prevent bacterial growth around the fillings.

Choosing a Mercury-Free Dentist

Some patients worry about the safety of mercury-based fillings. Dr. Michalski understands these concerns. Instead of mercury amalgam fillings, Dr. Michalski prefers to fill cavities with composite or bonding material. Composite fillings have a lot of advantages over amalgam:

  • They strengthen the tooth.

    teeth with composite fillings from a mercury-free dentist
    Teeth with composite fillings
  • They can be matched to the color of your teeth for a seamless appearance.
  • They will only hurt if there’s an underlying problem.

Another reason Dr. Michalski uses composite fillings is that he doesn’t have to remove as much tooth structure as he would to place an amalgam filling. That’s an innate advantage of composite, which will bond to your tooth to enhance its resiliency.

If you are looking for a mercury-free dentist, call (860) 563-4544 to make an appointment with Dr. Michalski. You can also request an appointment by filling out this form.