Mercury Free Fillings in Philadelphia
Mercury free fillings use tooth-colored composite or porcelain resin instead of silver amalgam, giving you a natural-looking restoration with no metal and no mercury. At Razavi Dental in Philadelphia, Dr. Leily Razavi uses only mercury free fillings for all restorative work.
What Are Mercury Free Fillings?
Traditional silver amalgam fillings contain up to 50% mercury. For decades that was simply what fillings were made of. Today there is no reason to use them. Composite resin and porcelain match your natural tooth color, bond directly to the tooth structure, and hold up just as well for most patients. Mercury free fillings Philadelphia patients receive at Razavi Dental are indistinguishable from natural teeth once placed.
Types of Mercury Free Fillings
Composite resin is the most common choice. It is made from a blend of glass and plastic resin, shade-matched to your tooth, and placed in a single appointment. Dr. Razavi applies it in thin layers, hardening each one with a curing light before shaping and polishing the final result. For small to medium cavities anywhere in the mouth, composite is fast, affordable, and looks completely natural.
Porcelain and ceramic fillings are custom-made in a dental lab from a precise digital impression of your tooth. They take two appointments but fit more accurately than direct composite and hold up better under heavy chewing pressure. For larger cavities or back teeth that take a beating, porcelain outlasts composite by years.
Porcelain inlays and onlays are the mercury free option for teeth with more extensive damage. An inlay fits within the grooves of the tooth. An onlay covers one or more cusps. Both are bonded permanently in place and last 15 to 20 years with proper care. Learn more about porcelain inlays and onlays at Razavi Dental.
Composite vs Porcelain: Which Is Right for Your Tooth?
For a small cavity on a front tooth, composite is almost always the answer. One appointment, invisible result, done. For a larger cavity on a molar that handles serious chewing force, porcelain is worth the extra cost and the second visit. It fits better, stains less, and lasts longer.
Dr. Razavi will look at the cavity, show you what she sees, and tell you which material makes sense before any treatment begins. There are no upsells here.
Are Mercury Free Fillings Safe?
Yes. Composite resin and porcelain have been used in dentistry for decades and have an extensive safety record. Neither material contains mercury, heavy metals, or BPA in clinically significant amounts. The American Dental Association considers both safe and effective for most patients.
The concern with traditional amalgam is not that every patient with amalgam fillings will experience health problems. Most do not. The concern is that there is no reason to use a material that contains mercury when equally durable, better-looking alternatives exist. Composite and porcelain do the same job without the question mark.
Patients who are pregnant, have young children, or have existing health conditions that make mercury exposure a concern are particularly good candidates for mercury free alternatives. At Razavi Dental the conversation about filling materials is always straightforward. Dr. Razavi will tell you what she uses and why, and you decide.
Replacing Old Metal Fillings in Philadelphia
When an old amalgam filling cracks or wears down, replacement is straightforward. The old filling comes out, the decay underneath is cleaned, and a composite or porcelain restoration goes in. Most patients who come to Razavi Dental to replace metal fillings are surprised by how natural the result looks and how little they felt during the procedure.
If your old fillings are still intact and functioning, Dr. Razavi will tell you honestly. Not every old amalgam filling needs to be replaced right away. Some last decades. When it is time, you will know, and switching to a mercury free alternative at that point is simple.
How Long Do Mercury Free Fillings Last?
Composite fillings last seven to ten years on average with proper care and regular checkups. Porcelain inlays and onlays last 15 to 20 years or longer. Gold lasts even longer but almost nobody chooses it anymore for obvious reasons.
Longevity depends on where the filling is, how large it is, your bite, and whether you grind your teeth. Patients who grind are candidates for a night guard to protect their restorations. Learn more about night guards at Razavi Dental.
What Happens During a Mercury Free Filling Appointment?
A composite filling takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Dr. Razavi removes the decay, picks a resin shade that matches your tooth, builds the filling up in thin layers, and hardens each one with a curing light. Then she shapes it and polishes it until your bite feels exactly right. You walk out with a fully restored tooth the same day.
Porcelain takes two appointments. The first is for preparing the tooth and taking a digital impression. The second, about two weeks later, is for bonding the finished restoration in place. Most patients say the fit and finish of a porcelain filling is noticeably better than anything they have had before.
Mercury Free Fillings at Razavi Dental in Philadelphia
Dr. Leily Razavi has been named Philadelphia Magazine Top Dentist six consecutive years. Every filling placed at Razavi Dental is tooth-colored, amalgam free, and matched precisely to your smile.
If you need a new filling or want to replace old metal work, call (215) 996-7030 or schedule online at our Center City location on South Street. Learn more about tooth colored fillings at Razavi Dental.