Most patients trust that their dentists use safe dental fillings in restoring their damaged teeth. However, current studies have suggested that this isn’t the case at all.
Recently, there is much attention given to amalgam fillings because these are mercury-based. Patients are curious how the fillings constantly emit toxic mercury vapor into the mouth. Because of this, patients are becoming more selective about what dental filling materials their dentist in Markham is going to use.
Here’s a closer look at some of the materials used for dental fillings.
Porcelain/Ceramic
Although they have been used by professionals as fillings for years, porcelain/ceramic often contain a substantial amount of aluminum. In fact, there have been some cases where the fillings contained as much as 45% aluminum oxide. There have also been reports about porcelain filling containing various other potentially harmful materials like barium, cadmium, and cobalt.
Amalgam
According to reports, there have been cases of amalgam fillings containing up to 50% mercury. Because of the well-known toxic properties of mercury, amalgam aren’t considered as safe dental fillings. As any dentist in Markham will tell you, high levels of mercury vapor exposure have been linked to brain damage and kidney failure.
Composite Resin
Often thought of as “plastic” fillings, resin fillings normally contain a mixture of glass and plastic. The main concern with resin is that they contain a class of chemicals known as bisphenol. According to experts, this element has been known to leach estrogen-mimicking compounds into the body. Some resin fillings based on chemicals called methacrylates have also been proven to be hard on the liver and kidneys.
New Materials
Fortunately, dental experts are coming up with new materials that are considered safe dental fillings. One of these is called DiamondLite. Ask your local dentist in Markham for more information about this type of filling.
