Does Your Dentist Still Use Silver Fillings?

[summerrluvv]

DS is at the dentist right now with his father and he needs two fillings (ugh!). I told him to ask what kind they use because I do NOT want mercury in his mouth. He just called and said they use silver fillings for the back teeth and white up front. The receptionist said she thinks they don't have mercury in them. I didn't even think anyone uses silver fillings anymore. I told him to cancel the appointment and we'll find another dentist. I know I have white fillings in my mouth from 15 years ago and a couple silver, which I thought they stopped doing. What does your dentist do? I feel like a jerk for telling him to leave, but I really don't want silver fillings in his mouth, not only for the appearance factor but because of the mercury.

 

[ADisneygirl]

Our dentist still uses the silver fillings in the molars too. I did have a tooth with a silver filling already from long ago and it had some decay around the edges of the filling and the Dr. said he'd have to replace it with a new filling. I asked about the white (composite) filling and he agreed to use it. He did tell me that the reason they don't like to use the composite fillings on back teeth is because they are not as strong and those teeth are under a lot of chewing pressure.

I haven't had any trouble with the composite being weak (yet) and I've had it in about 2 years now. And it looks great too! Looks like I don't have a filling at all now in that tooth!

 

[justplaingoofy]

We have a choice... We were told the silver fillings last quite a bit longer than the white ones

 

[MamaLema]

We have a choice too.

Actually DS got a clear filling and it fell out a few months later. The dentist said the silver ones last longer. So he got a silver one

 

[texasthree]

Our dentist only uses the white filling. I have couple of cracked teeth that he says is from having the silver fillings and that they expand over time and crack your teeth. At our dentist the white does cost more than the silver.

 

[summerrluvv]

Well, DS is home now and his father said that the dentist came in and said they use the silver because the insurance pays for the silver and not the white and that the white aren't as strong. I have a white filling on a molar that hasn't fallen out in 15 years so I'm He said we could get white ones at $70 per tooth. He also asked about sealants on his teeth and the dentist said the insurance doesn't pay for those. Interesting that they will pay for a filling but not something to prevent that filling, go figure This dentist is the only one that takes our insurance so I'll probably just take him to the pediatric dentist and pay out of pocket for the fillings since it's more "kid friendly" there anyway.

When his dad told the dentist he didn't want the mercury..yes they still have that in them despite what the receptionist said...the dentist said he has a mouth full of metal and there is nothing wrong with him. Well..I have a mouth full of metal and there is something wrong with my son and I don't want him to be exposed to the stuff since he has a lot of "issues" already.

Thanks for the replies

 

[olena]

My dentist stopped using silver years ago.

Also, the price of silver is at $12 an ounce these days. I wonder how that affects silver fillings.

 

[mrsmom]

My dentist has taken most of my silver fillings out and replaced them with white. They look alot better.
Kim

 

[hucifer]

My dentist offers both, but does say that the silver fillings last longer.

I'm with you, OP. They tell you mercury fillings are perfectly safe in your mouth, but as soon as they remove them, they are treated like a bio hazard. They don't tell you that the metal slowly breaks down over time.

For pete's sake, they removed mercury from thermometers, but they still put them in our mouths?