Non-metal fillings "purely cosmetic"?

my dentist says I need fillings, which is fine with me as long as I get my happy drugs.





the thing that worries me though is my dentist isnsits that only amalgam fillings are covered by my insurance because she says other kinds of fillings are "purely cosmetic".





now I dont care about the mercury, the reason that worries me is that I have a bad metal alergy, and when I say bad I mean I had a 5inch weeping sore on my stomach and rashes up my arms and legs before we found the cause was a tiny area of contact from my jeans button, the doctor told me it took him a while to work it out because he'd never seen a case as bad as mine





and I've tried 22kt gold and "hypo alergenic" metals, they all cause a reaction, so I find it hard to belive that metal fillings would be suitable in my case, and I've told the dentist about my alergy but I'm not convinced she belives me.





surely I cant be the only person with a metal alergy whos needed fillings?

Non-metal fillings "purely cosmetic"?
I have an allergy to metal as well. Mine is not as severe as yours seems to be though. My jeans button breaks me out but only in the immediate contact area. I also cannot wear hypo-allergenic jewellry. I can wear real gold but that's it. I have metal fillings and have no problem, they do not come into contact with any skin. I would like to tell you my experience with the other kind of fillings though, the white kind you can't really see. That's the only kind my dentist likes to use. When she gave me those my tooth never quit hurting. They drilled it back out and used metal to refill it. I will not use anything but a metal filling from now on. The dentist told me that some people can't tolerate the other kind. ??? Good luck.
Reply:If your physician is willing to put into writing that you have a severe metal allergy and that he is concerned that the metal fillings might cause a problem, you can write to the insurance company and ask for a case specific review. They will consider your physician's opinion as well as your dentist's. It's not easy to work your way through the insurance system, but it can be done, and sometimes they will make exceptions on a case by case basis. Good luck
Reply:Some dentist feel the need to only do amalgams, a tried and tested filling. They last for a long time, many for twenty years or more, and many dentists still do what they know. The advantages of amalgams: cheaper, they can usually be placed faster, and insurance covers a good portion of them. Now in the composite corner (white tooth fillings) they actually are introduced to the tooth as a liquid, thus allowing the material to flow into the nooks and crannies of your tooth prep. It only hardens after they use the blue light to bond or harden the material. Many dentists say that this is the way to go for structural strength of the tooth. As amalgam has to be packed into the tooth, thus causing the tooth to expand to hold the filling. With the big amalgam fillings after many years you sometimes see the tooth start to break away from the filling due to the hardness and packing of the amalgam. With composite resin restorations the theory is since the material can flow into all of those small spaces instead of having to be forcefully packed, it will make the tooth stronger in the long run. And less expansion takes place. From my own personal experience, I have had both types. The tooth colored fillings look better in your mouth. However I have amalgams from when I was a teenager (I'm 34 now) that are still hanging in there. Thirty years for a filling is a good thing. I really don't know much about metal allergies when it comes to fillings. I guess you will have to do some research before you make a design. Good luck. Either way I think both types of fillings can be good.