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Out With The Old, Fill With The New?

March 1, 2016

I often am asked if older silver fillings should be replaced with newer white fillings. Sometimes the concern is cosmetic and other times it is regarding health. The health issue revolves around whether the mercury in silver fillings is a risk. Our office no longer places silver fillings, and hasn’t for years. There was a time in the past where silver fillings significantly outlasted white fillings. We don’t believe that is the case anymore, so we have eliminated mercury entirely from our practice. The question remains when to replace them if a patient already has them. The answer is yes to replace for the following reasons: If you have a known allergy or sensitivity to any of the components of silver fillings, if they are breaking down or have a cavity starting underneath them or if they are presenting a cosmetic issue. If they are holding up and not causing any issues, in general, we tend to watch them until one of the other criteria arises. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Of course, if you are concerned about the mercury content and want them removed, we would be happy to discuss the pros and cons of their removal and help you make an educated decision as well as discuss methods of reducing ingestion if we do decide to take them out.

Dr. Jay Rabinovich

Posted in Blog by Jade