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Ionizing Laser Effects on Old Silver Amalgam Fillings

A laser is a beam of amplified and focused light. Light is one form of radiation that happens to be in the spectrum that the human eye can see. An ionizing laser is one that has enough energy to break chemical bonds or knock electrons out of an atom. Hard surface lasers used by dentists fall into this category.

  1. Hard Surface Lasers

    • There are a number of different types of lasers dentists may use. Hard surface lasers are powerful enough to replace dental drills in some instances.

    Old Fillings

    • Ionizing lasers are so powerful that they may be able to break down and remove some types of old fillings. Silver amalgam fillings, made of silver, mercury and other metals, may be broken down by these lasers and removed.

    Considerations

    • When a silver amalgam filling it removed, dentists must be careful. The mercury in the filling can be released as a gas, and care should be taken that this doesn't happen--mercury is toxic when absorbed into the body.

    Dangers and Replacement

    • The need for a tool like a laser to remove silver amalgam fillings comes from speculation and fear that the mercury in the filling may cause harm. Because of that, many people are having the amalgam replaced with bonded resin fillings.

    Other Laser Uses

    • Lasers are also used in dentistry to disinfect teeth. This is considered to be more effective than traditional, hydrogen peroxide disinfecting, and lasers also help prepare a tooth to be bonded to a filling or crown.

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