Silver Amalgams: Replace Them or Not?

Because silver amalgams have mercury in them and mercury is a poisonous toxin it has been suggested to have them removed from your mouth and replaced with composite fillings. There are several things to consider and weigh. First of all don't even consider replacing them if the dentist doesn't know the proper protocol. There are very few dentists that actually do it properly. Most dentists release more mercury in your system than if you had left them in. I think Hal Huggins might have a link where dentists are recommended that do it correctly. Another very important thing to consider is that if you have a silver amalgam filling removed and replaced you will eventually lose the tooth. Why? Most all alternative fillings shrink with age, at least a lot more than amalgams do. With shrinkage you normally get a bit more decay and every time they are replaced you loose a little more tooth where eventually there won't be enough tooth left to fill. Then they want to do a crown, then a root canal, and then removal, which are never really healthy options. Another thing to consider is what the composite is made of? Is it compatible with you? Make sure you don't have allergies to anything put in your body. The present day composites are better than when they first came out. The best thing to do is make sure you never get a cavity!