Tooth decay and cavities have plagued mankind since time immemorial. Luckily, our generation can now enjoy dental advancements that our ancestors never even imagined. The perfect example is the dental amalgam. It has been developed more than a hundred years ago, but its reliability and durability have made it continuously a popular choice for patients and dentists alike. Let us take a closer look at what it is and what it is made of.

Dental amalgams are a mixture of elemental mercury, silver, tin, and copper. Mercury acts as a binder for the other powdered metals. It is also sometimes known as silver filling because of its color and silver-like appearance. It is mixed by a dentist and put into a cleaned dental cavity where it hardens eventually. After the procedure, further damage in the affected tooth is prevented.

A lot of people prefer them because of two reasons: price and durability. they are the cheapest alternative in terms of getting a tooth cavity filling. Some counterparts, such as porcelain, can cost more than twice as much. In terms of durability, dental amalgams can resist strain and pressure and can last for a very long time, especially if the person that has the filling is able to properly take care of his teeth after the amalgam is placed.

Dental amalgams have made a lot of people’s lives a little better. At a very lo w price, one is able to ask his dentist to fill the cavities of his damaged tooth and to avoid further damage or even teeth loss. It is definitely a breakthrough in mankind’s attempt to free himself from dental pain and diseases.

Tags: Dental Amalgam, Dental Filling, Tooth Decay

This entry was posted on November 20, 2010 at 2:22 am and is filed under Fillings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.