Metal-free dentistry is getting more popular with every year. But what’s behind the growth of its popularity? There are four key reasons why metal-free dentistry is becoming the most popular approach to dental care.
Cosmetic Dentistry
One of the biggest secrets behind metal-free dentistry is that it’s just more cosmetic. Today people are very conscious of the appearance of their smile. In order to meet the desires of their patients, dentists have demanded the development of metal-free options for all common dental restorations, such as fillings and dental crowns as well as cosmetic dentistry restorations like porcelain veneers.
And as cosmetic dentistry becomes more popular, demand gets higher. Years ago, people wouldn’t have thought twice about getting a metal amalgam filling or a gold crown. But now that fewer people have them, nobody wants to get these restorations that will not only make their smile unattractive, but will also make them look old. No one wants to be marked as coming from a generation that got amalgam fillings. Even people that have metal amalgam fillings are now considering getting them removed.
Technology
And we have to recognize the role that technology has played in the spread of metal-free dentistry. Dentists asked for metal-free options and engineers responded with some incredible materials that are both strong and beautiful.
As recently as a decade ago, many porcelain veneers were made from actual porcelain–a 2000-year-old ceramic that looked attractive, but had never been designed for a structural role. Now, most porcelain veneers can be made with materials that are four or even ten times stronger. New dental ceramics are many times stronger than your natural tooth enamel.
And we can even make ceramic restorations during the same visit using our CAD/CAM CEREC system.
We even have better ways of managing your bite force than ever before. The science of neuromuscular dentistry allows us to understand why your bite force might be excessive.
Health
But getting rid of metal is about more than just keeping up appearances: we’re learning about the potentially toxic effects of having metal restorations in the mouth.
In the past, people lived in an environment where they were regularly exposed to toxic substances like mercury and lead. But we’ve cleaned up most environmental sources of mercury, so now people with metal amalgam fillings can tell the difference those fillings make. More people are connecting health problems with their metal fillings, and they’re wanting them removed.
Price
As a restoration material, gold has a major drawback: its price is very volatile, and tends to go up whenever there’s uncertainty about the future. With gold prices going up, many people just don’t consider gold fillings and crowns a reasonable option.
In contrast, cosmetic ceramic fillings continue to come down in price as the technology improves. Now that you can get a natural-looking and highly durable ceramic crown for the same price or less than a gold dental crown, more people are choosing the natural-looking restoration.
Are You Ready for Metal-Free Dentistry?
Whether you have had metal restorations in the past or you’re considering your first restorations today, metal-free dentistry is the best option available. If you are looking for metal-free restorations in Rochester, MI, please call (248) 656-2020 today for an appointment with a cosmetic dentist at Rochester Advanced Dentistry.
