Hi all

Im in the process of making the decision of what to have put in my mouth regarding a composite or an ionomer. I cant afford porcelain even though id much prefer it. I was curious to those who have had their amalgams replaced what they were replaced with? Im sure some materials must be less allergenic than others. So far ive heard lots of people who have problems with 3M products, most notably Filtek. I have two Filtek replacements in my mouth and my teeth hurt where they are so i know theres a problem. I have had serum testing done and Filtek indeed came up Highly Reactive so im trying to figure out the best alternative from my results and from others who know what material they have in their mouths. Any feedback is really appreciated!

Stuart

Stu, the best thing to do is go to a holistic dentist who can send you to a recommended bio-compatibility testing lab which will give you the material that what works best for your body.

Personally I didn't go that route, the dentist I went to recommended a composite that had quartz and 2 other items in it that I can't remember. He said that was the material that seemed to be very benign. I was just so happy to get the mercury out and as long as it wasn't any other metal it wasn't that critical to me.

Hi Stu, I have now got cerec porcelain in my teeth - Cerec 3, vita mark II, with variolink II and heliobond (for lining/bonding).

Before that? I had a varied lot of materials, which is apparently not a wise idea. Since your body then has to deal with too many differing materials. However, I am not sure "how" different each composite can be from another. Since they would contain similar chemicals too. But it's a better idea to get the same materials in every tooth (after testing for compatibility).

Yeah, I have heard quite a few have issues with the filtek 3M products. Not sure if that's coincidence though, as many people do worsen post amalgam removal anyway. Also being poisoned and having other consequences of that poisoning (e.g. candida/pathogens) can also make a person FAR more chemically sensitive to any other material you get in your mouth, than you might be otherwise. Also, your body tries to dump the storage of mercury too after all amalgams are gone, which poses another problem of the feeling of re-poisoning, which can also make people feel that it's their materials that are causing it, when it may not be.

So it is very difficult to gauge exactly what's going on. If you feel the filtek are a problem and testing has shown this to be so, then perhaps you'd feel more at ease getting materials that turn out ok on testing. You can also do a cheek and gum test on them as well to test for reactions that way too. (hardened sample of each material, trying it in the mouth between gum and cheek for a couple of hours or so each day). Though it may not taste so great! Also they aren't bonded into the tooth, so there is probably more chance of a reaction than otherwise. Just my opinion though.

I do not know of the perfect material because every person is different and there is no telling what a person might react to. I wish there was a universal material that worked with everybody. But that would be enamel! So, until they start giving us that option (apparently they're working on it), we're stuck finding alternative materials that have their own chemicals in them that the body has to deal with. But the materials are bonded in and I do not know how much that we would honestly be exposed to. Unless they are soft, leaky, prone to vaporising.

Make sure you know what bonding and lining agents are going in too. Don't forget to check those out on your serum test form. Dentists may just tell you the composite or ceramic and not even bother about the other, which they SHOULD bother with. My dentist who recently replaced my composites with cerec, I took along my serum form and asked what bonding/lining agent he would use. He simply mentioned variolink II and it looked ok on the form. But he failed to tell me he was also using heliobond as well!!! And it was only when he asked hte assistance "can you pass me the heliobond" that I was alerted to it and luckily it showed ok on my form. He would have just put that sucker in there without me even knowing about or checking. I don't know why he did that because I told him specifically that I need to know every material going on, as I am very sensitive.

So you really have to watch them. Perhaps some are a bit tired, don't think it's that important etc. You really have to be your own detective and own protector too.

I am not sure about my new materials to be honest. I feel rotten, but I put that down to exposure of mercury vapor in dental office. Happens everytime anyway! And I just don't eliminate what goes in, so I stay ill. Hoping to chelate it out.