MERCURY OR SILVER fillings release minute amounts of mercury vapour, especially with chewing. Some of this mercury may be absorbed by the body, reach various organs and, in pregnant women, cross the placenta. Health Canada states "Whenever possible, amalgam fillings should not be placed in or removed from the teeth of pregnant women and should not be considered for restoring the baby teeth of children. New amalgam fillings should not be placed in contact with existing metal devices in the mouth, such as braces."

COMPOSITE RESIN are filling materials that match the natural colour of your teeth and are now most commonly used. Where the biting forces present on the tooth requiring treatment are a concern, dental ceramic is a preferred alternative to composite resin.

DENTAL CERAMICS - The ceramic material that dentists use most often is porcelain. Dental ceramics are the material of choice when long-lasting esthetic restorations are desired, in high-stress areas, such as your molar teeth, it may be possible to restore your tooth using a porcelain-fused-metal crown in high strength porcelain available. Ceramic and porcelain-fused-to-metal restorations cannot be shaped directly in the mouth. After preparing the tooth to accept the restoration, your dentist makes an impression of your teeth and places a temporary filling in the prepared cavity. Your first appointment ends at this point, and your dentist sends the impression to the dental laboratory. The dental laboratory uses the impression to fabricate a restoration which is then returned to your dentist to be fitted and cemented to your tooth at a second appointment.