Amalgam (silver) dental fillings contain small amounts of mercury.
Dental amalgam has been used to restore teeth since the early 1830s. This alloy of silver, tin, copper, zinc and other metallic ingredients is a low-cost, easy-to-use material. With the rising availability of tooth-colored resins and other filling materials that offer better aesthetics in the mouth, amalgam has been declining in use.
Amalgam Safety
Amalgam's elemental mercury content helps make it hard and durable. In combination with other metals, the mercury in amalgam is stable and does not pose a health hazard. It has been accepted as safe by science and health authorities in the U.S. and around the world, including the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization.
Misconceptions
In studies and scientific reviews from 1997 onward, scientists and dental researchers have shown no link between the mercury in dental fillings and any increased risk of conditions including Alzheimer's disease or multiple sclerosis in adults or of any developmental deficit in children. Nonetheless, many patients have asked their dentists to replace their amalgam fillings with other materials.
Drawbacks of Replacing Amalgam Fillings
Other than for the very small percent of the population (about 1 percent) that actually is allergic to amalgam, no allergy or adverse health effects of amalgam have been proved to exist. Removing an existing filling merely to replace it with one made from a different material can weaken a tooth and compromise its viability. Newer materials may produce a more pleasing appearance, but many are more expensive and less durable than amalgam.
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