At my child’s last dental appointment it was discovered he had a cavity. My pediatric dentist insists on giving him an amalgam filling. I told him I wasn’t comfortable putting anything with mercury in his body and that I wanted the white fillings that don’t have mercury. He told me it is impossible to give white fillings to children because they move too much. He insists the amalgam fillings are safe and that they won’t be in his mouth too long anyway, because his tooth will fall out. Is he right? I’d really rather not put mercury in his mouth no matter how short of a time. Given the option, I’d rather not treat the cavity at all and just let the tooth fall out with a cavity in it.
Deborah – Kentucky
Deborah,
It isn’t impossible to give children white (composite) fillings, but it is difficult. In order for the filling to adhere properly, the tooth needs to stay dry. Even the most well behaved child can become fidgety during a procedure. Something as simple as your son slightly moving his tongue can contaminate the filling preparation and will require that the dentist start over or, if it goes unnoticed, will weaken the bond.
It is not a good idea to let the cavity go. The infection can spread beyond his tooth. The best thing for you to do is look for a dentist who is comfortable giving composite fillings to children. It doesn’t have to be pediatric dentist. There are plenty of general dentists who enjoy treating children, but didn’t want to limit their practice.
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