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Many people with old metal fillings and crowns have them in the back of their mouth. This was from the days when there either weren’t attractive tooth-colored fillings or the fillings weren’t strong enough to stand up to the bite force of chewing with the back teeth.
Nowadays, we have restorations that can handle these forces, including porcelain crowns, so there’s no reason why you can’t upgrade metal in the back of your mouth. But many people think they don’t want to upgrade these fillings because no one will see them. But there are many good reasons to replace these metal fillings now.
They’re More Visible Than You Think
The first reason to consider is that people probably will see your “concealed” fillings. When testing which of your fillings are visible, you probably smiled in the mirror. This is a good thing to do, but it won’t tell you all you need to know. That’s because the main way you display your teeth is not by smiling, it’s by talking.
People are social animal, and we spend more time in our day talking than we do smiling, eating, or both combined. And when you’re talking, all your teeth are on display–not just your front teeth. When people are talking to you, they will see those fillings and crowns on your back teeth.
Metals Can Be Damaging to Teeth
Another important consideration is that you’re replacing metal fillings not just for the appearance, but also for the health effects that metal restorations may have on your teeth. Metal amalgam fillings can be particularly destructive.
Metal amalgam is not like tooth enamel. It expands dramatically when heated and compresses significantly when cooled. Hot foods and drinks can cause amalgam fillings to expand and press on the on your teeth. This can cause pain from the pressure, or it can actually crack your teeth. Cold foods and drinks cause the opposite problem: the filling contracts, and contaminants can get in alongside the filling, causing erosion or decay.
Metals Can Be Bad for Your Health
Metals aren’t naturally a part of your body’s systems. Some of them can be very toxic. Metal amalgam fillings contain mercury, which can cause serious neurological damage. The risk is higher for people who eat a lot of fish, which can also contain mercury.
Other metals can also be problematic, especially base metal crowns, which may trigger an allergic response. If your gums always seem to be red and inflamed near a metal crown, the chances are that the metal itself is to blame.
Are You Ready to Replace Metal Fillings and Crowns?
No matter what your reason for replacing metal fillings and crowns in Anchorage, we can help. Please call (907) 349-0022 today for an appointment with a cosmetic dentist at Excellence in Dentistry and learn how you can benefit from metal-free fillings and porcelain crowns.
