Porcelain Shirley

Porcelain Shirley

White Fillings – So Much More than Beautiful Metal Free Dentistry

The controversy has been all over the news lately – are metal fillings harmful or aren't they? Can the mercury in those so-called metal fillings really leak into your system or can't it? Here is a link to a recent report  from ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/ad/gmaintroad.html?goback=http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Dental/dental-fillings-mercury-risks-debated-food-drug-administration/story?id=12396643&tqkw=&tqshow=GMA

As a doctor, I don't want to take a chance. And as a parent, I don't like the idea of possibly placing toxins in a child's mouth.

Metal fillings aren't just potentially harmful to your health, they are bad for your tooth structure as well. Like any metal, the metal in your mouth responds to changes in temperature. Whenever you eat or drink anything hot or cold, the filling will expand or contract accordingly. This constant expansion and contraction can weaken your tooth structure. It can also allow bacteria to get in under the filling and create decay. Almost every time I remove a metal filling, I find significant decay and damage hidden under the filling meant to protect the tooth.

It's my job to offer every patient the opportunity to receive the best and safest materials I can find when I restore their teeth. I don't even offer metal fillings in my office. Instead I use biocompatible composite fillings for cavities that need a smaller repair and porcelain inlays or onlays for cavities or damage that needs a restoration that is a little larger. If your tooth is broken or needs a root canal, I'll use a porcelain crown. All of these methods are not only safer for your health they also look really good! In fact, they are usually indistinguishable from your natural tooth.

New materials and technology make composite fillings strong enough even for back teeth where chewing force is greatest. And because composite fillings are bonded right to the tooth itself instead of forced into it, they can restore a tooth to a state very close to its original strength saving a lot of repair and dental work over time. Patients also tell me that teeth restored with composite material or porcelain restorations are less sensitive – yet another reason I use these materials on every filling on patients of every age.

If you would like more information about the benefits of metal-free restorations and white fillings, give us a call at 281.681.9442 or visit our website, www.shirleycagledds.com.

About the Author

Dr. Shirley Cagle graduated from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Dental Branch.  She practiced dentistry in Houston for 20 years before designing her new state-of-the-art dental office in The Woodlands, Texas in early 2004.

Dr. Cagle is one of a small, distinguished percentage of dentistswho have invested in postgraduate training at The Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education. She also has studied at The American College of Oral Implantology and The International Congress of Oral Implantologists.

A Fellow of The Academy of General Dentistry (www.agd.org) and of The International Congress of Oral Implantologists (www.icoi.org), Dr. Cagle has additional memberships in the American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, Greater Houston Dental Association, American Academy of General Dentistry, Texas Academy of General Dentistry, Houston Academy of General Dentistry, and The American College of Oral Implantology. She is also is a member of the Implant Study Group of The Woodlands and The Women of The Woodlands Dental Study Group.

Dr. Cagle proudly lends her support to Smile Train (www.smiletrain.org) an organization that helps children with cleft palates and to Give Back a Smile Program, helping victims of domestic violence.

Dr. Cagle's expertise in restorative dentistry enables her to solve difficult dental problems and do smile makeovers that harmoniously improve all aspects of your oral health and function, so the fine aesthetic dentistry you invest in today lasts and supports a lifetime of oral health.

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