Allergic to Fillings?

Question

I got three fillings put in -- 1 that white, tooth-like kinda (porcelain?), 2 whatever type of metal they use -- and around that same time as I got the first metal one (I think, not positive), I started to get sick fairly regularly - for 1-2 weeks every 2-3 weeks. Has anyone ever heard of someone being allergic to their fillings? What do you do to find out if you are?

Answer 1

I am with Dr. Matt. I have had two patients in 30 years who I can recall who seemingly had a localized allergic reaction to white fillings. They were the kind who is "allergic to everything." Fortunately, the fillings were in such a location that they could be replaced with silver amalgam fillings. After doing this, the local problems resolved. If anything, I'd expect to hear that someone is allergic to the white fillings rather than that they were allergic to silver fillings.

He's also right that there ARE dentists out there who scare patients with what amounts to voodoo science with various kinds of "tests" to show that your silver fillings are causing you problems. If you find a dentist who starts telling you all kinds of reasons to get your silver fillings replaced, RUN.

HOWEVER... Having said all that, what's the worst that could happen if you get these new fillings replaced? If you have the attitude that "it couldn't hurt" without expecting miracles, maybe you are the one in (what?) ten million who is allergic to something about the alloy in silver fillings, which contain various other metals. The thing is, the filling might be too big to try using a while filling and you'll have to get a crown instead of a simple filling, so be ready...

Answer 2

No, you are not allergic to the amalgams. Such allergies are incredibly rare. There are often a number of different materials in an amalgam - mercury, silver, tin, copper, then sometimes smaller amounts of metals like palladium, indium, etc. An allergic reaction to any of these materials would show up as a reddened area on your cheek opposite the filling - they do not cause systemic effects. I have never seen one in 25 years.
I would firstly suggest that you see your medical practitioner to see what more likely reasons there could be to your illness. Don't look for the unlikely things first. Even if it were some type of "reaction" to the amalgams, it wouldn't come on a periodic nature.
Should you wish to go further, then ask for a referral to a specialist allergist. Please avoid "non-amalgam" dentists who say they can diagnose these things. It often means you'll end up changing your fillings for no result. There are a number of "tests" these people can use to supposedly show a reaction, but they are not suitable or just nonsense.

Answer 3

Ask your dentist or docter. That's going to be your best bet.