If you are not convinced about the toxicity of mercury or heavy metals in your amalgam filling, no worries. Let’s talk about the effects and damage they cause to the teeth. In simple terms these restorations expand and contract to temperature changes and force in the mouth. As one drinks hot or cold liquids they expand and contract weakening the surrounding tooth structure. When one chews, the chewing forces of the teeth can deem detrimental to the teeth.  The larger the filling the more damage it will cause to the surrounding tooth structure. Now this does not happen over night and may take many years, though when it does chip or break the tooth will most often require some drastic treatment that may consist of a crown and/or a root canal. Who wants that?

You're not convinced? What does the silver amalgam mercury based filling do to your natural tooth structure? They destroy our teeth over time. Most will harbor decay underneath because of the techniques, or lack of them, in placement. They leak over time and can cause decay. This can be seen by the dark gray to dark brown color the tooth takes on. However, the biggest damage is sometime the breaking of the teeth. Sometimes they can be unrestorable so the tooth may have to be extracted, other times the decay becomes so large the traditional dental approach will be to do a root canal and crown in an unhealthy attempt to restore your tooth. Who wants that?