The Gentle Dental Perspective on Amalgam Fillings

The latest advancements in dentistry have created a whole new market into holistic and gentle dentistry.  I think this is a great alternative to the methods that have been used for many years without much change.  Doctor Vinograd has developed his Gentle Dental Protocol, designed specifically to prevent pain or discomfort in his patients.

This protocol includes:

1. Laser diagnostics,
2. Micro-abrasion (removing decay with airstream while avoiding drilling),
3. Two layers of powerful anesthetic (topical and a PH neutral numbing agent),
4. Low speed, cool drilling
5. Patient control

Now if you were looking for a dentist wouldn't you want to choose someone who puts the patient first and tries to be non-invasive?  There are probably a ton of dentists out there who have this approach to dentistry now because the field is always changing but some of us might not know it even exists. One of  the dental practices that is part of the holistic and gentle dentistry approaches is fillings.

The Gentle Dental Perspective on Amalgam Fillings

Did you know amalgam fillings are a very interesting and controversial topic?

The reason why amalgam fillings have been used for many years in dentistry because of the of the low cost, ease of application, strength, and durability.  With advancements in research and technology the compound became controversial because of the toxicity of mercury.

Amalgam is an alloy of mercury with various metals used for dental fillings. It commonly consists of mercury (50%), silver (~22-32%), tin(~14%), copper (~8%), and other trace metals. ~ wikipedia

As a kid I know I had two cavities filled with this compound and luckily they were in my baby teeth so I no longer have them in my mouth.  When I had the kids in for their dental checkups this year and a cavity was found in Cheyenne's mouth our dentist doesn't even give you an option he will only do composite replacements.  Honestly for the ascetic approach I prefer the composite.

The composite fillings are usually made up of a filler material such the synthetic resin, like silica. The synthetic resins evolved as restorative material because they were insoluble, aesthetically appealing, insensitive to dehydration, and easy to manipulate and reasonably inexpensive.

Silicon dioxide, also known as silica is a chemical compound that is an oxide of silicon.  It has been known since ancient times. Silica is most commonly found in nature as sand or quartz. ~ wikipedia

I leave the decision up to you!  I am not an expert by any means but think I presented the information in a way that is easy to understand and have provided some great links on where to find further information if you want to investigate amalgam fillings or gentle dentistry further.