Are You Allergic to Your Fillings

can metal fillings be replacedRoyal Oak and Birmingham, MI

Did you know that more than 30 percent of the population has some sort of metal allergy? Considering that metal has been used to make fillings and other dental material for decades, this obviously can cause a potentially serious problem for a significant percentage of the populace.

Nickel is the most common metal allergy, and nickel also is regularly used in dental fillings and crowns. Metal allergies are more prevalent among women than men, and present themselves as either a skin rash or contact dermatitis. Other metals used in the composition of dental work include cobalt, platinum, palladium, and beryllium. Each of these metals also can provoke an allergic reaction, or interact with nickel to create a rash.

An allergic reaction is just one of the reasons why dental practices at the forefront of the field are moving towards maintaining a metal-free environment. Much metal dental work also contains mercury. The composition of amalgam fillings, which you might have heard referred to as “silver fillings,” can consist of up to 50 percent mercury. These fillings also release mercury vapors in your mouth whenever you eat, drink or otherwise stimulate the filled teeth. This mercury exposure can be toxic; children are particularly vulnerable to impairments of the psychological, neurological or immunological varieties.

Hartrick Dentistry offers restorative dental treatments that are free of mercury, or entirely metal-free for patients with a metal sensitivity or who have been diagnosed with a metal allergy. We can also remove your old metal dental work, and replace it with a safer alternative that is tooth colored.

To learn more about our metal-free options or to schedule an appointment, call our office at (248) 549-0950. A member of our staff will be happy to answer any questions that you might have.

Hartrick Dentistry is proud to serve the oral health needs of patients in the areas of Royal Oak and Birmingham, Michigan.

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