Mercury-Free Dentist in Medina, OH

At Sinick Family Dental in Medina, OH we make it a priority to go the extra mile to keep our patients safe. Because of this, we have made our office a mercury-free and mercury-safe practice.

 We know that there is a connection with your oral health and the health of your entire body, and we do our best to help keep you as healthy as possible. For this reason, you will not find any amalgam (silver-mercury) filling material in our office. Instead, we use the finest ceramic porcelain or composite resin material to ensure that you receive dental restorations that are not only durable but also aesthetically pleasing.

The Problem with Amalgam Fillings

Amalgam fillings have been used in dentistry for decades because there was no reasonable alternative to them until about twenty years ago. Dental materials have changed significantly, and we are now able to offer fillings and other restorations that are just as strong but don’t have the adverse side effects that silver-mercury fillings have.

Liquid mercury makes up 50 percent of an amalgam filling, which acts as a binder for metals like silver, copper, and tin that comprise the other half of a metal filling. One problem with amalgam fillings is that they have been shown to release small amounts of mercury as you chew.

In addition to the potentially toxic mercury, amalgam fillings can cause fractures in your teeth that may eventually result in your tooth breaking around the old filling. Due to temperature changes in your mouth, the metal used in amalgam fillings expands and contracts, and that happens at a different rate than your tooth does. This puts forces on your tooth that it was not designed to withstand. It will eventually begin to have fracture lines that may lead to your tooth structure actually breaking. This difference in expansion rates is the same reason we have all those lovely potholes here in Northeast Ohio during the winter.

Amalgam fillings also require more of your natural tooth structure to be removed for placement. Since composite fillings are bonded directly to your tooth, they preserve more of your natural tooth. Composite material is also not temperature sensitive, so it won't break away from your tooth as a metal filling does.

Mercury is a heavy metal that can be toxic to your body when it is found in too high of a concentration, leading to symptoms such as memory loss, tremors, anxiety, headaches, fatigue, and several other medical conditions. Even though the amount of mercury released from dental fillings tends to be small, Dr. Sinick chooses to only use composite resin fillings at our Medina dental office so we don't put our patients' safety at risk. We also take the highest precautions for both our patients and ourselves when removing old metal amalgam fillings.

Some people may have allergies to mercury or the other metal alloys used in amalgam fillings, which can include silver, tin, and copper. Metal allergies can cause you to develop oral lesions or other have uncomfortable reactions from contact. Using composite resin material avoids the possibility that a patient may have an allergic reaction to their dental filling. 

If you are concerned about metal fillings that are still in your teeth, Dr. Sinick would be happy to talk with you about replacing your amalgam fillings with tooth-colored composite material. Not only will you enjoy the cosmetic benefits of composite fillings, but you can also rest assured that your new tooth fillings won't be causing any potential health concerns for your body.

How We Remove Mercury Fillings at our Media Office

Drs. Christopher and Jessica Sinick and the staff at Sinick Family Dental have done extensive research and training in order to keep our patients and ourselves safe. We follow the guidelines set forth by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicity (IAOMT) for silver mercury filling removal. Mercury is vaporized when silver mercury fillings are removed. Because of this, we take extra precautions to make our office a safe environment.  

As we remove your old silver fillings, you will be breathing clean, pure 100% oxygen through a nasal hood. In addition to this, we have a special air purifier that pulls the air from right in front of your mouth and removes the mercury vapors through a special filter. We also use a special high-volume suction tool that completely surrounds your tooth. This ensures that we suction all the pieces of the filling away from you as we are removing it from your tooth.

After removing your old silver mercury fillings, we will either replace them with top of the line BPA-free composite (tooth-colored) filling material or porcelain, depending on what your tooth needs. 

There are many measures you can take to protect yourself from tooth decay, which might mean that you can avoid the need for a dental filling. To better understand how you can protect your dental health, you must first know how tooth decay starts and progresses.

It's often thought that sugar is the cause of tooth cavities when it is really more of a catalyst. Your mouth is filled with both good and bad bacteria. The harmful bacteria lives in the plaque that builds up on your teeth after meals. The goal of consistent tooth brushing and flossing is to remove the plaque from your teeth.

If plaque isn't being removed on a daily basis with a diligent home care routine of brushing and flossing, the bacteria feed on the sugar that you consume and produce acid as a byproduct. It is the acid that erodes and destroys tooth enamel, resulting in tooth decay and cavities.

Consuming a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables also makes a positive impact on your dental health. Fruits and veggies not only boost your immune system, but they also increase saliva flow, which protects against tooth decay and washes away excess food particles left behind after meals. Eating fruits and vegetables also neutralize the acids in your mouth so they don't have a chance to harm your teeth.

Did you know that with consistent preventive cleanings and checkups, the need for a dental filling can often be avoided altogether? Routine visits to your Medina dentist every six months protect your dental health since they can detect any concerns early on.

Tooth-colored composite resin can also be used for restoring minor cosmetic imperfections with a procedure called cosmetic dental bonding. Dr. Sinick can add composite to your tooth to eliminate these concerns:

• Chipped or broken teeth
• Staining or discoloration
• Irregularly shaped or sized teeth
• Gaps between teeth

If you would like to learn more about how cosmetic dental bonding can restore both beauty and function to your smile, contact our dental office in Medina today to schedule an evaluation with Dr. Sinick.

Contact Our Medina Dental Office for More Information

Our team is here to answer any questions you may have about our method for safely removing your amalgam fillings. We know we do things a little differently than most other dental offices in the area, and we're proud to offer a high level of safety for our patients at Sinick Family Dental.

Please call our office at (330) 587-9292 with any questions about mercury fillings in Medina, OH, or to schedule an appointment online.