For those who chew hard. Therefore it is the best reasonably priced material for men or anyone with heavy jaw me biggest controversy involves the use of Amalgam. My question is: why are we rejecting a powerful repair material that has been used for over 150 years that has been proven safe and effective? It is the best strong filling material for anyone with heavy jaw muscles. Here is a very good study done by the Toxicology International :Toxicol Int. 2012 May-Aug; 19(2): 81–88.doi: 10.4103/0971-6580.97191
Amalgam has been used in dentistry since about 150 years and is still being used due to its low cost, ease of application, strength, durability, and bacteriostatic effect. When aesthetics is not a concern it can be used in individuals of all ages, in stress bearing areas, foundation for cast-metal and ceramic restorations and poor oral hygiene conditions. Besides all, it has other advantages like if placed under ideal conditions, it is more durable and long lasting and least technique sensitive of all restorative materials, but, concern has been raised that amalgam causes mercury toxicity. Mercury is found in the earth’s crust and is ubiquitous in the environment, so even without amalgam restorations everyone is exposed to small but measurable amount of mercury in blood and urine. Dental amalgam restorations may raise these levels slightly, but this has no practical or clinical significance. The main exposure to mercury from dental amalgam occurs during placement or removal of restoration in the tooth. Once the reaction is complete less amount of mercury is released, and that is far below the current health standard. Though amalgam is capable of producing delayed hypersensitivity reactions in some individuals, if the recommended mercury hygiene procedures are followed the risks of adverse health effects are minimized. For this review the electronic databases and PubMed were used as data sources and have been evaluated to produce the facts regarding amalgam’s safety and toxicity.” However, the mercury and other metals can affect our water supply- but again this is exaggerated as lead is much more common along with pesticides.
Has Dentistry been hijacked by Vanity? Are we focusing on extra whiteness vs healthy whiteness or a natural look at the expense of health? We are cutting down perfectly healthy teeth just to change their color. City councils are demanding or strongly directing that every dentist place white fillings vs the strong amalgams. This is despite the fact that the bite of a strong male jaw demands a material with extra-strong tensile strength which amalgam provides. Typical Composite or tooth colored fillings will never attain that kind of lasting strength. Toothcolored fillings will also wear down faster and erode at the contact points. Most men could care less about the color of a filling in the back of mouth. We want something to last.
The alternative is a cast “filling” like gold or ceramic which is MUCH MORE expensive and the average person does not want it – and many insurance companies will not pay for it. AS an advocate for the patient I urge you to read my book dentistry Xposed or a least visit the blog site DentistryXposed.com.