MEDICAL INSIDER
DR. RHODA ENTERO
POSTED FOR SEPTEMBER 17, 2023
30 Colored Fillings versus Amalgam Fillings –
Colored Fillings versus Amalgam Fillings –
Which One Should You Choose?
(Part 5)
So far, we have discussed our suggested topics
regarding Dental Amalgam Fillings which
include the following: The older and Tested
Option; Better Suited to Withstand Moisture;
Cost-Effective and Easy to Maintain; Color Is Its
Main Disadvantage; Not a Cosmetic or Aesthetic
Option; and Allergies and Mercury Poisoning.
Now, what should you choose?
To simplify, colored fillings are best used for
cavities that affect the aesthetics of your smile
while amalgam fillings are best used for cavities
at the back of your mouth, where the bite forces
are strongest so you need an extra-strong
solution. In other words, the location of the
cavities mostly determines your choice of tooth
filling. Amalgam is usually the filling of choice
since it’s the toughest filling around.
Next is its successor, the tooth-colored filling
that’s mostly used on front teeth cavities since it
hides the holes well with its coloring and it
doesn’t look like you put asphalt over parts of
your holey tooth. Had composites become strong
enough to give amalgam a run for its money in
terms of toughness, dentist would use them on
both the front and back teeth.
Dental Coverage: Are both filling types covered
by your dental plan? Ask your insurance provider
about it. Also, it depends on the plan. Many
dental plans don’t have composite filling
coverage for molars since it’s an unusual choice
so expect to pay out-of-pocket for such
procedures. If your dentist prefers composite
fillings, there are some plans that cover the cost
of an amalgam filling while you have to pay the
difference.
Mercury Poisoning Concerns: Certain studies
have uncovered how miniscule mercury vapors
escape from your amalgam filing, thus making it a
potential health hazard. In fact, there exists
dental services that enable dentists to remove old
amalgam fillings safely without the mercury
ending up in your system before replacing them
with colored fillings instead since these fillings
have improved significantly in terms of toughness
and ruggedness. However, amalgam continues to
exist because it remains FDA-approved.
Why People Still Use Amalgam: People with
molar dental caries or parents of children who
have cavities on the teeth behind their mouths
still avail of the amalgam option despite the
health risks viewed by others. This is because the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) claims the
mercury released by this filling type is miniscule,
it costs less than the resin composite filling and
more often than not the dental plan offers
coverage for it instead of colored fillings on your
molars.
Why People Still Use Colored Fillings: Simply
put, despite being inferior in terms of toughness,
colored fillings are still better than amalgam
fillings in terms of hiding the cavities on top of
fixing them. The resin mimics the appearance of
natural teeth, making it a cosmetic dental
procedure as much as a functional one.
Furthermore, these tooth-colored fillings don’t
contain any mercury and can last quite long if you
know how to take care of them. (To be continued)