By Arthur Kezian

If you’re like most people, you have at least a few silver fillings in your mouth.  Over the years, they may have gotten a little darker, cracked, or broken altogether.  Luckily, there’s a new type of filling called a “composite” that works better, looks better, and holds better.

But do you really need to go to all of the trouble of replacing silver fillings with composites?

Absolutely!

Those old silver fillings can make your entire smile look dark and dingy.  But composites are made out of white resin – so they don’t show.  A good dentist can specially blend your composite fillings so that they’re the same shade as your teeth.  That way, no matter how wide you smile, no one will be able to see them.  Doesn’t that sound a whole lot better than showing off all of those silver spots?!

But composite fillings don’t just look better.  In fact, when you’re replacing your silver fillings with composite fillings, they can actually make you healthier!

It doesn’t take much for those old silver fillings to crack and break.  When they do, bacteria have an easy way to get deep inside your tooth – causing a whole bunch of tooth decay in the process.  And, when those fillings break, they can leak into your teeth causing even more decay.  Before you know it, you’re back in your dentist’s chair, getting your tooth filed down, and having a crown installed.

Luckily though, composite fillings are much sturdier.  They’re far less likely to crack or break, and they also bond better to your teeth.  If you have a good dentist, then the odds of them getting damaged are very slim.

But tooth decay isn’t the only problem you can face if you don’t replace your silver fillings.  You can also fall victim to mercury issues.

That’s right – silver fillings have small amounts of mercury in them.  Back in 2009, the Food and Drug Administration even went so far as to classify them as having a “moderate risk”!  If you don’t want to fall victim to any potential mercury complications, you need to find a qualified dentist who can replace your silver fillings.

As if that weren’t reason enough to switch, today’s composite fillings can even give you more freedom in what you choose to eat!

How?

The old silver fillings tend to cause more tooth sensitivity.  If you’re in agony every time you eat an ice cream cone, the problem may lie in your fillings – not your actual teeth!  By replacing your fillings, you lower your chances of suffering any kind of tooth sensitivity, and you’ll be able to eat whatever you want – without being in pain!

Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777