Dental filling alternatives

[Guest guest]

Hello all,

Just another few questions regarding dental fillings.

We all know that mercury amalgam is harmful to human health, but

do we know how safe composite resin (white fillings) is? Is it

possible for composite fillings to release harmful chemicals in

your mouth or to be allergic to them?

Does anyone know if any studies have been done on the safety and

possible risks of all types dental fillings?

I'm considering looking into porcelain fillings. Wondering if

they are considered a better option. I hear they are more

fragile, though.

It's costly to have mercury fillings removed and replaced, and I

just want to make the right decision and try not to aggravate my

health problems in any way, if possible.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks,

Kyla

[Guest guest]

Kyla,

Glad to see that you're thinking ahead and not just jumping into this.

It is extremely important to have a dentist who is experienced with

removing amalgam fillings since precautions need to be taken during the

removal to prevent you from getting a heavy dose of mercury during the

removal. I had a vitamin C IV that was started about half-way into the

procedure. This was to help my system handle any mercury vapors that

managed to get past the precautions taken.

> -----Original Message-----

> From: Kyla MacKenzie [sMTP:celticfox@...]

>

> We all know that mercury amalgam is harmful to human health, but

> do we know how safe composite resin (white fillings) is? Is it

> possible for composite fillings to release harmful chemicals in

> your mouth or to be allergic to them?

> Does anyone know if any studies have been done on the safety and

> possible risks of all types dental fillings?

>

There is a lot of good information available at

<http://www.hugnet.com/> Dr. Hal Huggins' website. He is a dentist and

the author of the book " It's All In Your Head " . The book has a chapter

called " Out of the frying pan " in which he discusses this very thing.

You have all your amalgams removed (out of the frying pan) only to

replace them with composites, which might not be biocompatible (into the

fire!). He offers biocompatibility testing for all dental materials so

you know which ones are safe for you to use. It's not cheap - I think

it was $150 when I did it four years ago, but the report is very

comprehensive and well worth the cost.

Criss

[Guest guest]

Kyla MacKenzie wrote:

>

> We all know that mercury amalgam is harmful to human health, but

> do we know how safe composite resin (white fillings) is? Is it

> possible for composite fillings to release harmful chemicals in

> your mouth or to be allergic to them?

The composites are a great improvement over amalgam. They still run the

risk of cracking the tooth over time, but they negate the risk from

heavy metals.

In defense of amalgam... it is easy for all of us to point the finger in

hindsight, but let's remember that one of the reasons mercury was used

in amalgam fillings was as an antibiotic. It was/is cheaper than gold,

but is malleable like gold so the opposing tooth will wear it in over

time to a proper bite without damage to the opposing tooth.

> I'm considering looking into porcelain fillings. Wondering if

> they are considered a better option. I hear they are more

> fragile, though.

Porcelain is less desirable than composite from a dental point of view.

Porcelain is glass - nothing less. It is much, much harder than tooth

enamel and if not fit *EXACTLY* your opposing tooth will wear out trying

to adjust your bite. FYI, exact tolerances in the mouth are measured in

microns, which is why biting down on a hair is so annoying.

Composite resin is softer than the tooth and will wear in. It does not

seal as well as gold, which is still the preferred medium if you can

afford it. Gold too will wear in, as well as weld at room temp making an

absolute seal.

The order of preference would be:

GOLD

COMPOSITE

AMALGAM

PORCELAIN : Porcelain is a decision made for appearance

Composite nicely answers that concern, but is

not adequate for crowns, where porcelain is.

> It's costly to have mercury fillings removed and replaced, and I

> just want to make the right decision and try not to aggravate my

> health problems in any way, if possible.

My bride & I are both in the middle of doing this right now; took about

11 years for us to get to a place where we could (actually were forced

to) pull it off. Finally came to a head when the amalgams started

failing and crowns started becoming the work de jour.

HTH

--

Regards,

Geoff Crenshaw, ACC ----------------------

Managing Partner ** No Disclaimers **

Captain Cook's Cruise Center ----------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Over 3,000 daily cruise & tour specials > Top 5% of Web Sites

http://www.800-800-cruise.com [specials] > Top 100 Travel Sites

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----------------------------------------------------------------------

geoff@...

" Behold now, Behemoth, which I made as well as you; He eats grass like

an ox. Behold now, his strength in his loins, and his power in the

muscles of his belly. He bends his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his

thighs are knit together. His bones are tubes of bronze; His limbs are

like bars of iron. He is the first of the ways of God. "

God speaking to Job...

[Guest guest]

>Hello,

>I have just ben through this and I would have to disagree with this. Most

especially if one is puting gold over an amalgum./

>

>The glass Ionomers are much better made and stronger and the porcelains

are glass and some are also reinforced.(not by metal) A good dentist who

is trained in this is hard to find. Most recommend the metals because they

have not learned the other things like glass.

>

> Dr Baird in Seattle teaches other dentists this procedure and is busy

teaching every week and week end. He says there is no reason to put any

metal in your mouth anymore. The trouble is the lack of education. There

are several steps more in doing glass than metals. The conventional wisdom

of those treating people who are ill is to get the metal out and leave out

and do a good clean-up detox afterwards.BTW, there are several dentists who

are severly mercury poisoned due to their use of this substance.

>

>I am very sure about this. I have no doubts about this. This is a very

touchy subject in dentistry right now so hard to get them to actually say

the truth. Actually if you are infected it is even worse because the

micro-organisms react with the metals to cause all kinds of things that I

had never heard of. Try some of these URL's and read about this

yourselves.http://www.primenet.com/~mercure/

>Next is an interview with a doc who has been doing this for some time and

his reasoning

>http://www.teleport.com/~ctseng/drfree.htm

>http://www.mercuryfree.com/indexck.htm;

>

>http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/2888/

>http://vest.gu.se/homepages/old_bosse/Mercury/Mouth/Linklists/pollution.html

>http://www.doubleclickd.com/ltexpo96/source/fillings.html

>http://trufax.org/abstract/mercabst.html

>

>

>This is just the tip of the iceberg and there are many more. I think " Dr

Free " talks about also gold. I had a gold crown on an amalgum and it had a

" battery " effect. ( I had an earache that was off and on severe as a result

of this including some secretion in my ear that smelled like

cheese[probably yeast] and this resolved immediately after that was

removed.) There are precautions that need to be taken to protect you when

this is being done--the Dr Free addresses this.

>

>All the crowns that the dentists--11 of them said --were just fine(they

were gold or silver) had remarkable leaking and cavitation under them. The

entire treatment I had was videotaped and there are also stills of each

step through my mouth. This was an expensive thing to do.

>

> Why did I go to so many dentists? Because I had survived a sepsis of

unknown origin and my teeth hurt in some places and were sensitive to heat

and cold but they looked just fine including on x-ray. This was a long and

torturous journey for me. Also I continued to have " infections " actual

under the microscope bacteria and for no reason

..

> But now I have a chance to get well. With the antibiotic Protocol and

detoxing the mercury and other metals. My pain is also better in general

tho the Raynaud's is worse. So--I think it is the detox I need to get rid

of the Raynaud's.

>

> My immune system simply could not do the metal thing and I suspect many

ill people can't. I am also treating for yeast. I have been doing this

for some time, but now things are more predictable.

BTW, this isn't just my opinion as you can see by the science on this. I

was almost fooled into having a good local dentist do some strange work he

said I needed too. I prayed a lot and eventually things worked out. I am

one grateful human being believe me!!!!!!

>

>In the Environmental Sciences VIEWPOINT Nov 1, 1998 Vol 32 issue 21 pp

508A-509 there is information about low level chemical exposures and the

fact that there is mounting evidence that human exposure to chemicals at

low levels can be harmful. They are linked with adverse biological effects.

>

> The emerging scientific knowledge is slow. These illnesses seem to

target communication systems or networks such as the immune system, the

neurological system and so forth. This is a great article in that it

points out what some of us have been experiencing over time. Also as

usual, it is going to take some years to convince the unbelievers that

there is a problem. However, it is not going to be so easy to say " it's

all in your head " of course your teeth are, unfortunately the treatment

your teeth have had over the years is not all in your head!

>

>Oh BTW the porcelain crowns I have on these rebuilt teeth are not

porcelain on metal. They are pure glass. I have had 10 of these for 5

years and the rest are only 2months old. They are not just for looks.

They are for health!!!!!

Also, most of the dentists who are doing amalgum free, metal free

dentistry also recognize fluoride as a poison. Fluoride and Chlorine and

Iodine are very closely related in molecular structure. I have a serious

chlorine sensitivity and after trying fluoride for the strange dental

infections I was having as a result of the bad teeth under the crowns I

will never use fluoride again. On the 3rd mini treatment all my muscles

contracted and stayed that way for 2 weeks, even with IV's so I am

definitely a no fluoride believer and strangely enough I had not used

fluoride in toothe paste for years just on general principles.

>

>So you have to be the judge and jury and researcher if you are going to

spend the money to do this, do the thing that is the least harmful in the

long run. Well I'll get off the box. After the last 6 months with this I

just couldn't leave it alone. It is a serious matter.

>

>Thanks and please get some more info. I am begging you!!!!

>

>Blessings,

>

>

>

>

>

>> GOLD

>> COMPOSITE

>> AMALGAM

>> PORCELAIN : Porcelain is a decision made for appearance

>> Composite nicely answers that concern, but is

>> not adequate for crowns, where porcelain is.

>>

>>> It's costly to have mercury fillings removed and replaced, and I

>>> just want to make the right decision and try not to aggravate my

>>> health problems in any way, if possible.

>>

>>My bride & I are both in the middle of doing this right now; took about

>>11 years for us to get to a place where we could (actually were forced

>>to) pull it off. Finally came to a head when the amalgams started

>>failing and crowns started becoming the work de jour.

>>

>>HTH

>>--

>>Regards,

>>

>>Geoff Crenshaw, ACC ----------------------

>>Managing Partner ** No Disclaimers **

>>Captain Cook's Cruise Center ----------------------

>>----------------------------------------------------------------------

>>Over 3,000 daily cruise & tour specials > Top 5% of Web Sites

>>http://www.800-800-cruise.com [specials] > Top 100 Travel Sites

>>. > Top Web Sites for

>>Cruise tips New Zealanders

>>http://www.800-800-cruise.com [tips]

>>

>>USA PH: 800-800-CRUIse PH: 559-636-8413 FAX: 559-734-1420

>>----------------------------------------------------------------------

>>geoff@...

>>

>> " Behold now, Behemoth, which I made as well as you; He eats grass like

>>an ox. Behold now, his strength in his loins, and his power in the

>>muscles of his belly. He bends his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his

>>thighs are knit together. His bones are tubes of bronze; His limbs are

>>like bars of iron. He is the first of the ways of God. "

>>

>>God speaking to Job...

>>

>>

>>

>>------------------------------------------------------------------------

>>With more than 14 million emails exchanged monthly.

>>http://www.ONElist.com

>>ONElist is truly helping connect the world!

>>

>>

Light is " Living in God's Holy Thoughts. "

[Guest guest]

I did not have any arthritis symptoms until I began replacing my mercury

fillings. Coincidence? I don't know.

It is difficult to replace the fillings without releasing quite a bit of

mercury into your systom. Alot of my fillings were already cracked and I

was in the situation described below with lots of crowns and root canals

happening. I feel that I have saved some teeth that would have needed root

canal work if left alone, but I may have started the symptomology of the

arthritis before it would have otherwise occured.

valerie

Geoff Crenshaw wrote:

> From: Geoff Crenshaw <geoff@...>

>

> Kyla MacKenzie wrote:

> >

> > We all know that mercury amalgam is harmful to human health, but

> > do we know how safe composite resin (white fillings) is? Is it

> > possible for composite fillings to release harmful chemicals in

> > your mouth or to be allergic to them?

>

> The composites are a great improvement over amalgam. They still run the

> risk of cracking the tooth over time, but they negate the risk from

> heavy metals.

>

> In defense of amalgam... it is easy for all of us to point the finger in

> hindsight, but let's remember that one of the reasons mercury was used

> in amalgam fillings was as an antibiotic. It was/is cheaper than gold,

> but is malleable like gold so the opposing tooth will wear it in over

> time to a proper bite without damage to the opposing tooth.

>

> > I'm considering looking into porcelain fillings. Wondering if

> > they are considered a better option. I hear they are more

> > fragile, though.

>

> Porcelain is less desirable than composite from a dental point of view.

> Porcelain is glass - nothing less. It is much, much harder than tooth

> enamel and if not fit *EXACTLY* your opposing tooth will wear out trying

> to adjust your bite. FYI, exact tolerances in the mouth are measured in

> microns, which is why biting down on a hair is so annoying.

>

> Composite resin is softer than the tooth and will wear in. It does not

> seal as well as gold, which is still the preferred medium if you can

> afford it. Gold too will wear in, as well as weld at room temp making an

> absolute seal.

>

> The order of preference would be:

> GOLD

> COMPOSITE

> AMALGAM

> PORCELAIN : Porcelain is a decision made for appearance

> Composite nicely answers that concern, but is

> not adequate for crowns, where porcelain is.

>

> > It's costly to have mercury fillings removed and replaced, and I

> > just want to make the right decision and try not to aggravate my

> > health problems in any way, if possible.

>

> My bride & I are both in the middle of doing this right now; took about

> 11 years for us to get to a place where we could (actually were forced

> to) pull it off. Finally came to a head when the amalgams started

> failing and crowns started becoming the work de jour.

>

> HTH

> --

> Regards,

>

> Geoff Crenshaw, ACC ----------------------

> Managing Partner ** No Disclaimers **

> Captain Cook's Cruise Center ----------------------

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

> Over 3,000 daily cruise & tour specials > Top 5% of Web Sites

> http://www.800-800-cruise.com [specials] > Top 100 Travel Sites

> . > Top Web Sites for

> Cruise tips New Zealanders

> http://www.800-800-cruise.com [tips]

>

> USA PH: 800-800-CRUIse PH: 559-636-8413 FAX: 559-734-1420

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

> geoff@...

>

> " Behold now, Behemoth, which I made as well as you; He eats grass like

> an ox. Behold now, his strength in his loins, and his power in the

> muscles of his belly. He bends his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his

> thighs are knit together. His bones are tubes of bronze; His limbs are

> like bars of iron. He is the first of the ways of God. "

>

> God speaking to Job...

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

> With more than 14 million emails exchanged monthly.

> http://www.ONElist.com

> ONElist is truly helping connect the world!

[Guest guest]

" M. Yensen " wrote:

>

> At 11:03 AM 5/5/99 -0700, you wrote:

> Hello,

> I have just ben through this and I would have to disagree with this.

> Most especially if one is puting gold over an amalgum./

I have never heard of *anyone* putting gold *over* amalgam. Amalgam is

removed, area disinfected, prepped, etc., and replaced with gold. If you

have someone putting gold over, or on top of amalgam I would avoid them

like the plague!

> He says... () The trouble is the lack of education. There are several

> steps more in doing glass than metals.

My comments re: porcelain (glass) were precisely in agreement with your

comment above. Glass can be a good substrate however - it has to be done

_perfectly_. If it is not done _perfectly_ the opposing tooth will

deteriorate as the patient tries to wear-in the repair back to a normal

bite. Additionally, since the glass is not malleable, the process

usually not only wears off the contacting surface of the opposing tooth,

it also places excessive internal pressures on the host tooth hastening

cracking. And lastly, as the glass is 'modified' in the mouth (ground

down) one is blessed with minute pieces of glass here, there and about.

There would be lively debate indeed about whether or not gold has a

place in dentistry. But that is best left to those who are professionals

in the field. I was a great fan of the caries fluid treatments that came

out a few years ago - no drilling required, exceptionally selective

leaving good tooth unharmed. But alas, the company went belly-up and we

are all left with having good tooth drilled out with the bad.

My opinion is one of practicality. Plastic composites are not without

their problems... placing hydrocarbons permanently in your mouth has its

own peculiar set of associated potential complications. Of course the

best answer is to have perfect teeth which you keep for life.

Unfortunately I do not fall into that category and as such I have to

choose as follows:

All of the dentists here are competent to do silver mercury

amalgam -- do I want that? NO

All of the dentists here are competent to do plastic composites

-- do I want that? Perhaps - depending on the aesthetics, type

of repair, etc.

All of the dentists here are competent to do gold, though few

have extensive OJ experience due to costs -- do I want that?

Perhaps - depending on the same factors as for composite resin

Porcelain (glass) work here is very hit-and-miss. Having a

perfect repair is more a matter of luck than skill. Do I want

that? NO, the level of competency simply isn't high enough.

Perhaps that explains it better. I dare say, I believe the general level

of competency of Dentistry in my area is probably more akin to that of

the general populace than yours where they are apparently able to train

specifically in glass.

> This is a very touchy subject in dentistry right now so hard to get

> them to actually say the truth.

In my area (Central California) it only seems to be a touchy subject

with dentists > 55. The rest are in total agreement and could well pass

for members of this list in their preferences against silver mercury

amalgam fillings. They have a fond disregard for root canals, a deep

respect for bacterium, and a profound concern about silver mercury

amalgam. (ed no doubt by what it costs them to get rid of it under

California's very Draconian cradle-to-grave hazardous waste laws.)

--

Regards,

Geoff Crenshaw, ACC ----------------------

Managing Partner ** No Disclaimers **

Captain Cook's Cruise Center ----------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Over 3,000 daily cruise & tour specials > Top 5% of Web Sites

http://www.800-800-cruise.com [specials] > Top 100 Travel Sites

.. > Top Web Sites for

Cruise tips New Zealanders

http://www.800-800-cruise.com [tips]

USA PH: 800-800-CRUIse PH: 559-636-8413 FAX: 559-734-1420

----------------------------------------------------------------------

geoff@...

" Behold now, Behemoth, which I made as well as you; He eats grass like

an ox. Behold now, his strength in his loins, and his power in the

muscles of his belly. He bends his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his

thighs are knit together. His bones are tubes of bronze; His limbs are

like bars of iron. He is the first of the ways of God. "

God speaking to Job...

[Guest guest]

,

While I may disagree with you over dental fillings due to *my* opinion

of practicality and resources generally available, I must thank you for

the links to the dental goodies. They're great.

--

Regards,

Geoff Crenshaw, ACC ----------------------

Managing Partner ** No Disclaimers **

Captain Cook's Cruise Center ----------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Over 3,000 daily cruise & tour specials > Top 5% of Web Sites

http://www.800-800-cruise.com [specials] > Top 100 Travel Sites

.. > Top Web Sites for

Cruise tips New Zealanders

http://www.800-800-cruise.com [tips]

USA PH: 800-800-CRUIse PH: 559-636-8413 FAX: 559-734-1420

----------------------------------------------------------------------

geoff@...

" Behold now, Behemoth, which I made as well as you; He eats grass like

an ox. Behold now, his strength in his loins, and his power in the

muscles of his belly. He bends his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his

thighs are knit together. His bones are tubes of bronze; His limbs are

like bars of iron. He is the first of the ways of God. "

God speaking to Job...