A cavity is one the mildest, most common dental problems a patient can encounter. Even the most vigilant people can still have dental filling or two. However, in our current time, you may not even know who does or doesn’t have a filling. Since dentists now opt for composite resin (tooth colored) fillings, many patients can have healthy teeth without visible silver spots. Composite wasn’t always the go-to substance for fillings, though. In fact, dentists used a number of metal alternatives before finally settling on amalgam (silver fillings) and composite. In the following blog, Dr. S. Blair Jones, your Mansfield, TX dentist, highlights the transformation of dental fillings.
A Series of Changes Throughout Time
Before the introduction of dental fillings, the best way to relieve a toothache was by removing the tooth altogether. However, in the early 19th Century, metal fillings quickly become the saving grace for teeth. During this time, tin was the metal used to complete a filling—especially for the Civil War soldiers. It wasn’t until later in the 1850s that aluminum and even asbestos replaced the use of tin.
Once the use of weaker metals was abandoned, dentists began to use lead; this practice ended soon after the discovery of lead poisoning. Around this time, a few experiments with gold took place and the metal was soon used as a replacement.
The Transition to Current Dental Fillings
When a stronger, less malleable material was needed, amalgam became the metal that stuck. This mixture of silver, tin, traces of mercury is still in use today. It offers longevity and durability and the alloy is quite affordable. Yet, some controversy surrounds the use of amalgam since mercury is a known, harmful substance.
Today, some dentists—including your Mansfield, TX dentist—prefer the use of composite resin rather than amalgam when filling cavities. This material is mixture of plastic and powdered glass and it color-matches teeth. Without any harmful materials, the result is a flawless dental repair that goes completely unnoticed by the untrained eye.
Mansfield Dental Associates Offers Resin Fillings
Maintaining sound oral health includes visiting the dentist for regular checkups. Your Mansfield, TX dentist uses composite dental fillings to provide a long-lasting, beautiful repairs. To schedule an appointment, call our Mansfield office at (817) 259-1357. You can also schedule appointments through our website, and review the additional services we offer. We proudly treat patients from Mansfield, South Arlington, Kennedale, Southeast Ft. Worth, Alvarado, Midlothian and neighboring areas.
Recent Comments