As a holistic dentist, I look at the mouth not as an isolated set of teeth, but as the gateway to the rest of the body. What happens in your mouth directly impacts your systemic health. One of the most common—and complex—questions patients ask me is: “Should I have my old silver fillings removed?”
These “silver” amalgam fillings have been a staple in conventional dentistry for over a century. However, they are actually made of about 50% elemental mercury, bound together with silver, tin, and copper. While major organizations like the ADA and FDA state that amalgams are safe for most adults, a biological approach prioritizes minimizing any potential toxic burden on the body.
However, removing them is not without risks and is not a decision to be taken lightly.
Why Consider Replacement?
- Eliminating a Source of Mercury Vapor: Mercury is a known neurotoxin. While a filling is solid, activities like chewing, grinding (bruxism), and drinking hot liquids can stimulate the release of small amounts of mercury vapor over time. Replacing these fillings removes this continuous, low-level exposure.
- Preventing Structural Damage: Amalgam is a metal, and like all metals, it expands and contracts with temperature changes (think about drinking hot coffee, then eating ice cream). Over decades, this constant thermal cycling can create micro-fractures in the surrounding tooth structure, eventually leading to cracked teeth or deep decay.
- Biocompatibility: Modern holistic alternatives, such as BPA-free composite resins or ceramic porcelain inlays, are metal-free. They are generally more biocompatible and work in harmony with your body’s immune system.
- Strengthening the Tooth: Unlike amalgam, which just sits in a carved-out space like a pothole filling, modern resins and ceramics actually bond to the tooth structure. This helps hold the tooth together and restores much of its original strength.
- Aesthetics: Beyond health, composite and ceramic restorations are tooth-colored, blending seamlessly with your natural smile and eliminating the dark, grayish shadow amalgams cast on teeth.
Should You Do It?
The decision to replace amalgam fillings should never be driven by fear or rushed.
When to Replace: If an amalgam filling is broken, leaking, actively decaying underneath, or causing structural cracks in the tooth, it absolutely needs to be replaced. At that point, choosing a biocompatible alternative is the best path forward.
When to Pause: If your fillings are completely intact, you have a small number of them, and you are in excellent systemic health, the trauma of drilling them out might outweigh the benefits. Therefore, the decision to remove and replace your amalgam fillings is not the same for everybody and should be made after careful consideration and discussion with your dentist. We are always here to support your systemic health and to answer your questions, if you need us.
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