Holistic dentist in Shrewsbury, PA

Amalgam fillings are 50–75% mercury, a toxic heavy metal, and release small amounts of it from the time they're placed until they're removed.

Southern York Smile Care considers them outdated and potentially dangerous. They're weaker than today's materials, and fillings over six years old leak and fail 90% of the time.

At Southern York Smile Care in Shrewsbury, PA, old silver fillings come out in three steps:

1. A protective barrier goes in, so no material is swallowed.
2. The filling is removed with a high-volume suction system that captures the mercury into an FDA-approved waste filter.
3. Each tooth is restored with a tooth-colored, metal-free filling.

Ceramic resin composite fillings in many cases, or all-ceramic inlays and onlays, or 18k gold fillings.

Yes, Southern York Smile Care in Shrewsbury, PA is a mercury-free office. No silver (amalgam) fillings are placed. Cavities are filled with tooth-colored materials, and old silver fillings can be removed with a safe amalgam removal protocol when you and Dr. Steven Haywood, DDS decide it is right.

Fluoride is offered at Southern York Smile Care to patients who want it. Patients who prefer to avoid fluoride can choose a remineralization varnish instead, which helps strengthen the enamel. Your preference is noted in your chart and respected at every visit.

Holistic and biological dentistry overlap, and Southern York Smile Care in Shrewsbury, PA practices both. Both look at how the mouth affects the rest of the body and choose materials and treatments with your overall health in mind. Read more about biological dentistry on its own page.

Yes, metal-free zirconia implants are available at the Shrewsbury, PA office. Zirconia (ceramic) implants are available as a metal-free alternative to titanium for patients who prefer one. The consultation looks at your bone and bite to see which kind suits you.

Treatment starts with a thorough cleaning below the gum line and better home care. Because gum disease is linked to diabetes and heart disease, keeping the gums healthy is part of caring for your whole health, not only your teeth.

Tooth-colored composite resin for most fillings, all-porcelain for crowns, and BPA-free materials wherever there is a choice. If you have known sensitivities or allergies, tell the team at your first visit and the materials are chosen with that in mind.

Yes, holistic patients at Southern York Smile Care talk through every option first. Every option, its materials and its cost are explained at a consultation before anything starts.