Did you know that in Spain 8 out of 10 people have amalgam fillings to cover the gap that remains in the tooth after the elimination of caries? They are also known by other names such as mercury or silver fillings.

In today’s article we tell you everything you should know about them, their side effects, how to remove them correctly or the possible dangers they have, all here in the Medident Torremolinos Clinic Blog.

What exactly are they?

This kind of fillings are formed by amalgam by 50% while the other half is composed of silver, copper or tin. Its use in the field of dentistry has more than a century and, eventually, is still used today.

It is true that in recent years a great controversy has been opened because of the dangers to our health that the materials that make them up have. Here we detail everything.

Hazards of mercury amalgams

Mercury is a metal that when subjected to temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius reaches to produce steam that is sucked by the person and comes into contact with the bloodstream.

In addition to this, a tiny percentage is also assimilated by our saliva, ending up in our intestine and can get to intoxicate the person. This intoxication by dental amalgam is not immediate, but occurs over the years.

For example, among the side effects of this type of fillings are exhaustion and fatigue, as well as headache and even lack of memory. Also different kinds of allergies or pains of all kinds in the joints of the body or diseases related to the liver.

How to remove amalgam fillings correctly

The first thing to say is that it must be carried out by qualified personnel, as all possible precautions must be taken. In Medident Clinic we follow a strict process that we list below:

1. In a first contact we study the clinical history of the person, to be able to know in the best possible way which fillings are the ones that should be removed and in what order.
2. We keep these dental amalgams very cold during all phases.
3. Later we used a type of large volume suction device.
4. We give an air source for both our medical equipment and for the totally alternative patient.
5. We proceed then to eliminate the alloy of mercury.
6. We thoroughly clean the patient, always keeping the air in our room in a pure state.

How we replace these silver fillings

For the substitution of this kind of fillings we always use highly aesthetic materials at the same time that they are 100% biocompatible. For example, composite resin fillings can be used depending on the individual case of the person. Without a doubt it is the best option for those known as dental fillings.

In other cases, dental incrustations are then performed, which are a type of prefabricated filling for placement. They are made with porcelain mostly.

Another totally valid option is the use of porcelain veneers, perfect for dental aesthetics, improving and much the smile of the person.

So if you have amalgam fillings, at our Dental Clinic we will immediately resolve it.