Mercury-Free Fillings

"In general, I never offer treatment options that I wouldn’t perform on myself or my family. Today's technologies allow us to have much better options than amalgam and result in much more conservative dentistry in Bend. I rarely find the need to place crowns when amalgams are dealt with prior to fracturing. By placing modern restorations, I am able to be much more conservative with treatment and as a result can preserve more of your natural tooth structure." -Dr. Kelley Mingus, Bend, OR Dentistry Expert

We invite you to experience all of the benefits of mercury-free fillings:

• they require minimal removal
• are worry-free
• provide excellent protection against future decay
• offer you a more attractive, natural smile

If you have older silver-mercury fillings, Dr. Mingus can often replace them with natural-looking modern materials to prevent fractures that can occur. This improvement makes a big difference aesthetically, but more importantly, it can have a positive impact on your health. Talk to our Bend dentistry team about how this can help enhance your smile with comfort, undetectable cosmetics and better health.

Amalgam Fillings and Your Health

"Mercury is a very hot topic these days. Amalgam not only contains mercury but also contains silver, tin, copper and zinc. The Oregon Health Department requires that all dental offices in Oregon have a mercury separation device in place to collect all mercury in our suction devices. An office cannot dispose of extra amalgam in the garbage or the sewer system. It seems that the only place that one can place amalgam is in the mouth, which is one reason why, at Distinctive Dentistry, I haven’t placed amalgam fillings in over ten years.

"Besides the health concerns, amalgam requires an internal design in the tooth that is the leading cause of fractured teeth. Most amalgams will eventually become a crown. I am a very conservative dentist and find that by leaving amalgams in place, one will usually end up needing very aggressive dentistry. With Mercury-Free Fillings, we can give our family of patients better treatment, better protection, and better health, and that's why I choose these high quality, advanced options." -Dr. Kelley Mingus, Bend Dentist of Distinctive Dentistry