Health

Amalgam fillings and their changed image

Amalgam fillings are made of a mixture of metals, including silver, copper, mercury and tin; they are usually used to fill in cavities in the back teeth as they are often more durable than white composite fillings.

Many people prefer to have tooth-coloured or white fillings, as offered by many Palm Beach dentists now in the UK, as these look much more natural and are not visible when the person smiles; metal fillings are highly visible and many people think they look unattractive. Amalgam fillings used to be a lot more popular than they are now; this is mainly due to advances in technology, which mean that white filling materials are now a lot more durable than before, making them a more attractive alternative to amalgam fillings, which has also been boosted by a greater degree of dental courses for dentists.

Amalgam fillings as a dental job are available on the NHS, whereas tooth coloured fillings are usually only available privately; they cost more than amalgam fillings and are therefore not a cost-effective solution for the NHS. Amalgam fillings currently cost £46.50 on the NHS, while the cost of white fillings varies according to which dentist you choose; typically, patients should expect to pay upwards of £70 per filling. Amalgam fillings are also covered by the NHS for the first year after treatment.

There has been some controversy over the safety of amalgam fillings, as mercury can be toxic; however, the quantities of mercury used in amalgam fillings are extremely small and the risks of being exposed to toxins is minimal. Numerous research studies have been carried out to assess the risk posed by amalgam fillings to general health; they have found that amalgam fillings are safe and do not pose a risk to human health. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the MRHA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) support the use of amalgam fillings. Pregnant women are usually not advised to have mercury-based amalgam fillings, as mercury can harm unborn babies; the risks are very low but it is best to eradicate them completely by having a composite filling instead.