Auburn mercury free dentist Archives - Dental Care at Flint's Crossing

Pain with Composite Filling

April 10, 2019 by writeradmin

I think I’ve asked my dentist to do something he wasn’t ready for. I needed a filling and really wanted a white filling. He reluctantly agreed. I will admit I pressured him. Here’s what is going on. When I clench my teeth, everything is fine. But, when I bite something crunchy I get this zing of pain. My dentist has no idea what’s going on. Have you heard of this?

Acelyn

Dear Acelyn,

This seems to be an issue with dentists inexperienced with composite fillings. For some reason, it is more common with small fillings where the filling is bonded to the dentin.

There is a solution for it, though it will mean the filling will have to be re-done. Hopefully, you have a dentist who is open to learning. Though, it does worry me that your dentist isn’t caught up on updated advancements in dental fillings.

With these fillings, it is helpful to have a glass isomer base under the filling to protect the dentist. This will keep you from feeling that zing with certain foods.

Some dentists are okay learning from patients and others are offended. If you find yours falls in the offended category, I’ll suggest you see a dentist who is well-versed in composite bonding. Do a quick internet search for a mercury-free dentist. They place white fillings exclusively and will know exactly what to do.

You May Want a New Dentist

One thing which is important with any medical profession is continuing education. You want your dentist to be up to date on the latest research as well as the new treatment options.

There have been significant developments in crown and dental implant options in recent years as well, making use of zirconia instead of metal based options. This is great for people with metal sensitivities. Again, though, if your dentist doesn’t keep up, he’ll never know.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Why Do Some Dentists Still Do Mercury Fillings?

January 12, 2019 by writeradmin

My sister-in-law said her children’s pediatric dentist still does silver fillings. I was stunned. I wouldn’t think ANY dentists were still using those because of their mercury content, especially a pediatric dentist. I tried to tell her to switch, but she said her children love their dentist. Why are there still some dentists using the old materials?

Kelsey

Dear Kelsey,

I’d say there are usually three reasons dentists give for still doing these:

1. The leading reason dentists are still doing silver/amalgam fillings is the American Dental Association (ADA) still says the mercury released in the silver fillings is within safe health limits. This gives them no outside impetus to change, especially if their patients aren’t concerned.

2. It’s always served them well. They’ve been doing this for years and never had any problems. Some dentists just like doing things the way they’ve always done them. Here’s the problem with that. As medical practitioners, we’re supposed to constantly be learning and improving our care. What if doctor’s in the past had that mindset? “Well, my patients have always done fine with leeches….”

3. This one is regarding pediatric dentists. It is harder to do white fillings on children than adults. This is because the composite material has to stay completely dry or the bond will not hold. Children can be wiggly and sometimes have trouble controlling where they put their tongues. Now, is that a valid excuse? Not in my opinion.

Especially, when you work with children, you have to be creative. If you have a child who absolutely cannot stay still, there are still ways to make sure they get the best treatment possible. Most children do very well with sedation dentistry.

In fact, they don’t even need a strong form of sedation like Oral Conscious Sedation. They often fall asleep just using the mild form of sedation— nitrous oxide.

Of course, it is up to your sister-in-law who treats her children. However, if she starts to think about the mercury content and comes to you for advice, tell her there are great dentists who work with children which are also mercury-free dentists. That’s what she should be looking for.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Family Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Dentist Said I’m Panicking Over Mercury

October 24, 2018 by writeradmin

I don’t want mercury in my mouth. I’ve been adamant with my dentist about this. He, however, insists he’s been using amalgam fillings for decades and has never had a problem. While that may be true (at least as far as he knows), I don’t want the mercury in my body. Is there any information you can give me to convince him to let me have the white fillings?

Cassie

Dear Cassie,

Truthfully, I don’t think you’ll get anywhere with this dentist. He’s one of the old-school dentists who feels because he’s always done it that way, it’s good enough. Plus, he has the American Dental Association (ADA) saying that amalgam fillings are perfectly safe, justifying his desire not to leave his comfort zone.

However, even if you could convince him, you wouldn’t want him to be the one to place your composite fillings. These require a different technique than their silver predecessor. If he doesn’t know the proper technique you’ll end up with a faulty filling.

Pressing a dentist into a procedure they don’t really know how to do will not work out well. Often, they’ll be too embarrassed to admit you’re asking for something they don’t know how to do. Instead, they’ll try to muddle through, pretending they know what they’re doing. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. Depending on the procedure, the patient may not even realize the problem was the dentist’s technique (or lack thereof).

You Need a Mercury-free Dentist

If you want mercury-free fillings, which is quite reasonable, your best option is to switch to a mercury-free dentist. They will only place white, composite fillings.

Another advantage is they will know how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. I don’t know if you currently have any silver fillings, but you can’t just remove and replace them. Without using the proper procedure, you will end up inhaling mercury vapors and/or swallowing bits of mercury during the removal process. Using special procedures, you’ll be safe from those issues.

You should know if you ever have to get a filling on a visible part of your tooth, the white composite fillings can be made to blend in with your tooth color perfectly. However, once it’s made, it can’t be changed. If you want to whiten your teeth, do so before the filling is made. That way it will match the whiter color.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Family Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Who’s Right, the ADA or Mercury Free Dentists?

March 20, 2018 by iowasmiles

I keep hearing I need to get rid of my old amalgam fillings by my mercury-free dentist, but the ADA says they’re safe. Who’s right?

Percy

Dear Percy,

I don’t know exactly what your dentist has said or why he was recommending you have them removed so it’s hard for me to make a judgment on his statements. However, you can find studies backing both the pro-amalgam and anti-amalgam camps.

There are very good reasons to remove your old amalgam fillings, especially if they’re old, and replace them with white composite fillings. Amalgam fillings can start to leak, which means you’ll be ingesting mercury. There is absolutely no doubt that mercury is a toxic substance when ingested. If they’re in good condition, you may be fine leaving them, but have your dentist keep an eye on them.

There are studies which say that the amalgam fillings release mercury vapors, which you will inhale. It boils down to which studies make more sense to you. You have to make these decisions. Your dentist can’t make them for you. IF you want to keep the fillings, you may keep them. When you’re ready for them to be removed, you need to make sure you go to a dentist who knows how to do a sanitary amalgam removal.

Who Should Remove Fillings Which Contain Mercury?

A drill can raise the temperature enough to cause the mercury to pour out of the filling. The thing is, mercury isn’t just an ingredient in amalgam fillings, it’s the main ingredient. So steps need to be taken to ensure you don’t suffer any ill effects from them.

You should be given safety glasses to wear so you don’t have to deal with specks of mercury resting on your eyes. The dentist should also be employing the use of cold water to keep the temperature of the mercury down so it doesn’t vaporize into your breathing passage.

A rubber stopper dam is placed over a patient’s mouth to block any bits of mercury. Some dentists will even use an air evacuator to make sure to draw airborne particles away from you.

Some dentists take the protection even further. I would say at a minimum, you’d need the cold water and stopper dam. If you do decide to switch out your fillings, you’ll find many benefits. Check out Dr. Bolt’s mercury-free dentist page to see a list of their advantages.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Could My Removable Partial Be Making Me Sick?

January 9, 2018 by iowasmiles

I’ve had removable partial dentures placed, ever since then I haven’t felt myself. Then I started breaking out into sores around my tongue and inside my mouth. I showed my dentist and he sent me to my doctor, who sent me to a different specialist, who sent me to a different specialist. It got so bad I ended up at the hospital. That’s when they discovered I was allergic to nickel. I checked and a lot of these type of dentures have nickel in them. I do take them out at night, but have to wear them to work. Is there any way this can be changed? Could this be why I never feel well?

Amanda L.

Dear Amanda,

I’m flabbergasted when I hear stories like this. Checking about metal reactions and allergies should have been his primary thought. It’s a fundamental part of dental care. In fact, any metal sensitivities should be a question on every dental questionnaire. Women tend to have this is greater share to greater effect as well.

Yes, your removable partial dentures could very likely be making you sick. I’ll illustrate it with a story Dr. David Hall shared on his mynewsmile.com blog.

“I had one rare case in my practice of a woman who was allergic to mercury. While most of my patients didn’t want mercury-containing amalgam fillings in their mouths, for this woman it was imperative to get rid of them because she had a confirmed and very rare allergy to mercury. We had several appointments to take out all of her amalgam fillings and replace them with composites. After the first appointment, she developed a rash on her throat and chest and had some difficulty breathing because of the amalgam dust that we had created during this procedure. From then on we draped her to avoid any additional exposure and gave her a nose mask to breathe through during these appointments. I remember when she came in for her six-month checkup after all of this was completed and I asked her if there was any change in how she felt. She told me that she had been troubled with arthritis, but since the amalgam was removed the arthritis was gone. I am confident that her arthritis was related to her constant exposure to allergens.”

Is There a Solution When You Have Metal Allergies?

There are many alternatives to metal dentistry these days, even apart from mercury-free dentists. For instance, in your case, instead of getting the less expensive fixtures which have a high nickel content, your dentist could provide you with a Vitallium partial which contains no nickel.

Additionally, while the titanium that makes up dental implants rarely causes any allergic reaction, there are now Zirconia implants available which are metal free. What you need is a dentist who cares enough to do some research, or better yet, keeps up with the advances to begin with.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Is there Mercury in My Amalgam Glass Isomer?

November 11, 2017 by iowasmiles

I know there is tons of mercury in amalgam fillings. I made my dentist promise he’d never give me an amalgam filling. He promised and said only white fillings or crowns for me. Then I got a crown last week. I found out later there’s something called an amalgam glass isomer underneath it and the white crown on top. Does this mean I have mercury in my mouth?

Danae H.

Dear Danae,

Mercury-Free Fillings

It’s likely the word amalgam that is throwing you. Because of its context in the silver-colored fillings, people assume it is the word associated with mercury. That’s not the case. The word amalgam means mixture. While it’s true that amalgam fillings are made mostly of mercury, that’s not true of the glass isomer. It is a mixture, but it’s mercury-free. It’s usually used to build up the area in the case of a dental crown.

I can understand the confusion. I did want to mention though, it’s important you feel you can trust your dentist. He gave you his word to keep your dental care mercury-free. The fact that you worried he’d lied to you worries me.

Dentists are in an important relationship with their patients. We work in a vulnerable part of your body. Not only that, but you can’t see what we’re doing unless we provide some type of video system that enables you vision.

If there’s something in your gut telling you not to trust your dentist, you’re better served finding a different one. But, based on what you’ve said, he’s done nothing to make me think he can’t be trusted.

This blog is brought to you by Affordable Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.

If a Dentist Doesn’t Say Mercury Free Does That Mean I Will Get Mercury?

September 6, 2017 by iowasmiles

My mother-in-law says she only goes to mercury-free dentists. I noticed my dentist’s website doesn’t say he’s mercury-free. Does that mean I’m getting mercury in my treatment? I don’t want to seem difficult by calling the office and asking, but I’m not too keen about the idea of there being mercury in my dental work.

Barbara O.

Dear Barbara,

Mercury-Free Fillings

When you’re talking about mercury in your dental work, the main culprit is amalgam fillings. While they’re commonly called silver fillings, that’s more a marketing tactic. In reality, they’re mostly made up of mercury. While the American Dental Association (ADA) insists tests have proved mercury to be completely safe in fillings, many patients feel these tests haven’t been done under real world conditions and prefer to avoid amalgam fillings.

Some dentists advertise as mercury-free dentists so potential patients know they will only get composite fillings there. Composite fillings are commonly called white fillings and have zero mercury in them. Patients know they won’t have to worry about the old amalgam fillings if they go to a mercury-free dentist.

Just because your dentist doesn’t advertise as a mercury-free dentist doesn’t necessarily mean he’s giving you fillings that contain it. As long as you’re getting white fillings, you don’t have to worry about any mercury content. It’s the silver fillings that have them.

If you have silver fillings and you’re worried about the mercury content, you could asked to have them removed and replaced. However, make sure whoever you have remove them knows how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. Without that, you’re likely to inhale some mercury vapors.

If your dentist doesn’t have a stopper dam and other equipment for a sanitary removal, you can simply go to a mercury-free dentist. They’ll know the proper procedure.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Did My Dentist Lie to Me?

June 22, 2017 by iowasmiles

We’ve recently moved to a new city. My son needed a cavity filled. Our new dentist did a white filling. I was thrilled, but shocked. Our old dentist said children couldn’t have white fillings. He forced me to put the fillings loaded with mercury into his mouth. Now I find out he could have had white fillings. I’m kind of furious. Did he lie to me or was he just incompetent?

Meredith L.

Dear Meredith,

I can’t tell you the motivation behind him saying no to the white fillings with any real certainty, but I can give some possibilities.

He doesn’t know how to do white fillings. If he’s an older dentist, it’s possible he only knows how to do the old amalgam (silver) fillings. Composite (white) fillings do not use the same procedure. If done incorrectly, it can lead to challenging complications.
He knows how to do white fillings, but is uncomfortable placing white fillings on children. The procedure requires children to stay perfectly still. If the filling gets moisture it’s likely to fail, so even their tongue has to stay off of it.
He’s been told it can’t be done on children. It’s possible when he learned how to do the fillings he was trained to think it’s only for adults.

It sounds like your new dentist is more up to date on procedures. He or she may even by a mercury-free dentist.This is a good thing for both you and your child.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Raymond Bolt.

What is Mercury-free Dentistry?

April 19, 2017 by iowasmiles

I keep hearing the phrase mercury-free dentistry. What does it mean? If I don’t go to a mercury-free dentist does that mean they’re using mercury in my treatment?

Joseph T. – Boston

Joseph,

The old type of standard filling, commonly called silver fillings, are made up mostly of mercury. Professionally, these fillings are known as amalgam fillings. Though mercury is a known toxin, the American Dental Association (ADA) has declared that these fillings are perfectly safe. However, many people have taken issue with the way they’ve conducted their studies. The fillings they’ve tested were in stasis and not tried in real world situations and stress.

Other studies conducted, that do put these fillings in the situations they’ll likely be in, have shown that the mercury can leach from the fillings. Because of this many people are requesting their dentist not use those fillings. When dentists comply with that, they’ll use composite fillings instead. These are commonly called white fillings. These dentists will generally advertise as mercury-free dentists. That’s what it means. They’ll give you a filling that doesn’t contain any mercury.

If you have amalgam fillings and are concerned about the mercury content, you can have a dentist remove them. However, you want to be certain they know how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. This method protects you from inhaling any mercury vapors.

As an aside, white fillings have additional benefits over their amalgam counterparts. They not only strengthen your teeth, but also blend in so well, no one can tell you even have a filling.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Raymond Bolt.

Can Amalgam Fillings Be Safely Removed?

February 18, 2017 by iowasmiles

I want to get my silver fillings removed, but my dentist said it’s not safe to remove amalgam fillings. If it’s not safe to remove, why is it safe to keep them in my body? Is there really no way to safely remove them?

Lizzie W. – San Diego, CA

Lizzie,

While the ADA has declared amalgam fillings as perfectly safe, there is some concern about the vapors released during the amalgam removal process.

That doesn’t mean they can’t be removed. If you go to a mercury-free dentist, they’ll likely have the materials required to safely remove them. There are stopper dams and other things that allow for sanitary amalgam removal.

Just make sure whomever you go to takes the proper precautions, so you don’t breathe in any mercury vapors.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Raymond Bolt.