3 Misconceptions About Using Fillings Made With Metal
If your dentist tells you that you need a dental filling, you may be a bit hesitant about having a metal filling put into your mouth. Using metal is completely safe to use to fill cavities, but some people have misconceptions about them. Here are some things you need to know about dental fillings made with metal.
Metal Fillings Won't Set Off A Metal Detector
You may think that having a metal filling is going to cause problems when going through metal detectors. After all, metal used in joint replacement procedures can cause problems when you have to go through a security checkpoint. The truth is that metal fillings are so small that they will never be a problem trying to get through security. Metal fillings do show up on x-ray equipment at the airport, but metal fillings are so common that it won't cause you to be stopped for having metal in your teeth.
Metal Fillings Won't Poison You
Your concerns may come from being worried about the possibility of a metal filling poisoning you by having it in your mouth. Know that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, often referred to as the FDA, has approved the use of metal fillings made out of silver amalgam. The evidence is simply not there to support the theory that you could become poisoned by having a metal dental filling.
Part of this fear may stem from the fact that metal fillings used to contain mercury in them, but things have changed over the years. Dentists are shifting away from using metal fillings with mercury to give their patients some peace of mind about the safety of using the material.
Metal Fillings Won't Discolor Your Teeth
Another misconception about dental fillings is that they can cause your teeth to become discolored. You may get this idea by looking at the teeth of someone with metal fillings and notice that they are darker on the outside. This can happen if metal is used for filling a very big cavity, but what you are seeing is the metal filling through the thin shell of the tooth, not the filling causing the tooth to become discolored. If you have a small cavity in the middle of the tooth, it will not be visible through the outer walls of the tooth.
For more information about using metal fillings, be sure to ask a dentist at a clinic like Milner Dentistry.