Not all dentistry is the same.

17. June 2008 by admin.

Not all dentistry is the same. Be careful what you allow your dentist to put into your mouth. Do not be shy to discuss your treatment and material options. Be involved. If your dentist cannot answer some of your questions, s/he should be able to research it for you. If a dentist doesn’t want to listen to your questions or concerns, perhaps that’s not the best dentist for you. There are a number materials that are considered to be the safest available to day. However, some of these materials may cost significantly more. If you can afford the newer, more bio-compatible, healthier materials, it may be worth the investment. You can reap the benefits for many years to come. You should avoid amalgams as part of your dental work because there are corrosive metals in dental amalgam as well as mercury which are potentially harmful. Part of healthy dentistry is to know what you are getting in your body and avoiding those that has potential harmful effects, usually long term effects. Remember it’s your teeth. Do you want just anything in your teeth?

Potential Harmful Dental Materials:
1. Dental Amalgams–According to the State of CA Prop 65, Mercury may harm the developing brain of a child or fetus. But FDA places no restrictions on the use of dental amalgam.

2. Composite Resin–According to the State of CA Prop 65, includes Crystalline Silica, which is known to cause cancer.

Dental Ceramics and Zirconium are among the safest non-metallic restorative materials. There are no documented cases of allergic reactions to composite resins, glass ionomers, or porcelain. However, there has been rare allergic responses reported with dental amalgam, porcelain fused to metal, gold alloys, and nickel or cobalt-chrom alloys used in partial denture frameworks. (published by the California Department of Consumer Affairs.)

Dr. James C. Feng, Los Angeles

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