Silver amalgam is a type of dental filling that makes use of silver. An amalgam is a mixture (or an alloy, if you like) of various metals that make up the dental filling. In this case, silver amalgam is made up of metals such as copper, silver itself, mercury and tin. Silver dental fillings are popular in cosmetic dentistry.
Advantages
- Silver amalgam is strong and durable. As a result, people seeking to use their teeth for lots of chewing would opt for silver amalgam.
- They are more preferable for sealing cracked teeth. Cracking is common in the molars as we use them for chewing and grinding food.
- The nature of silver amalgams is that they harden quickly on being fitted; this is unlike the gold dental fillings.
- Silver amalgams are the top choice for children due to their ease of fitting, short time they take to harden and the fact that children tend to be impatient makes them the best option.
Disadvantages
Silver amalgam dental fillings are not all praise; they have their downside too.
- Be prepared to part more of your natural tooth. This is because the dental surgeon has to
excavate deeper in order to fit the silver fillings into the tooth. - Silver dental fillings do not look like the natural teeth; hence stand out from your own teeth, hence beating the very purpose of the natural appearance.
- The inordinate expansion and contraction of the silver amalgam cause them to easily develop cracks. As a result, you may be required to regularly visit the dentist.
