Many patients want to update their silver fillings. They want their old metal fillings removed and exchanged with tooth colored fillings.

Cortland, OH -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/21/2014 --“People often cite esthetic and health considerations about their old metal fillings. It really is correct that the esthetics of your smile can be considerably enhanced using a far more natural, tooth-colored repair,” Dr. Bedich states. Additionally, there are other reasons why someone would want to change to a tooth colored porcelain restoration or maybe a resin composite filling. Almost everything wears out, and your silver fillings are no different. They hold up against heavy biting forces every day, and as they age, they split, leak and can result in damaging fractures in teeth. With time, metal amalgam fillings can actually absorb water, causing them to swell and even break away from the teeth.

Silver fillings are much less esthetic than natural-colored fillings. They don’t resemble a natural part of the tooth, amalgam expands and shrinks whenever subjected to cold and hot extremes inside your mouth and silver fillings under chewing pressure are at risk of flexing and bending failure, a concept fully understood and shown by continuously bending a metal paperclip until it eventually breaks. Metal fillings are not cemented to the cavity, they just sit in the surrounding tooth and act under pressure to wedge the tooth apart, just like a metal wedge can be used to split logs into firewood. Dr. Bedich explains, “A minute space around the filling edge is present as soon as your silver filling is plugged into the tooth. This unnoticeable space is big enough to allow for bacteria and food particles to seep in over time and cause tooth decay.” Composite fillings, however, are essentially bonded to the tooth surface and seal the margins closed. Composites, utilizing their ability to be conservative and using their glue-like attributes, may reinforce and guard against fracture.

“Many dentists say that, bonded natural-colored restoratives are likely to be safer than traditional fillings, because they do not have any mercury. While the American Dental Association suggests using mercury in metal fillings is safe, there is an ongoing disagreement inside the dental sector concerning the adverse effects of mercury amalgam fillings,” remarks Dr. Bedich of The Center For Progressive Dentistry in Cortland, OH. Many European countries actually prohibited using mercury amalgam fillings in order to avoid any risks linked to mercury.

About Dr. Bedich
Over the last five years, Dr. Bedich has committed over two thousand hours to continuing education in implant, cosmetic and other restorative dental care. Additionally, his training has focused on providing complete comfort during treatment including various forms of sedation dentistry. Dr. Bedich is a member of many professional organizations including: Master, Academy of General Dentistry, Diplomate, American Board of Implantology/ Implant Dentistry, Fellow, American Academy of Implant Dentistry, Midwest Implant Institute and many more. If you are interested in having your silver fillings replaced, call 330-637-7971 to make an appointment.