Silver mercury fillings, commonly called amalgam restorations, have been used in dentistry for over 100 years as a tooth filling material. Mercury fillings are a very controversial topic in dentistry today. Some of the facts about amalgam fillings:
Silver mercury fillings expand and crack teeth. Over time, amalgam cracks can break teeth and/or cause irreversible nerve damage and need for extensive treatments.- Silver mercury fillings are unsightly and turn teeth and gum tissues black over time.
- Mercury is one of the most toxic non-radioactive elements known to man. Dental amalgam is 50% mercury.
- Mercury vapor escapes during chewing and enters the bloodstream. Once in the blood stream, it is delivered to every tissue organ in our body. Things that increase exposure as much as 500% are: chewing gum, hot liquids, acidic liquids and food, and teeth grinding.
- Ten amalgam fillings contain approximately 5 grams of mercury. After 5 years, ½ of the mercury escapes as vapor from each silver mercury filling.
- The use of mercury fillings in patient dental care has been banned or is being phased from use in many European countries. Included in this list are Austria, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and Sweden.
- Manufacturers of amalgam are required to place labels on their packaging that cautions against the use of mercury fillings in pregnant and nursing mothers, children under 7 years of age or people with kidney disease.
- Any dental office which places mercury fillings must be cautious with their handling of this product and the waste from its use. All mercury filling waste is handled as "hazardous material" and the need to use separators with dental water waste is now required in many offices.
- The American Dental Association continues to certify that mercury fillings are safe to use as a restorative material.
For the above reasons, our office has elected to not place this material in our patients or subject our dental team to the use of silver mercury fillings. We have eliminated the use of this material in our office since 1989.
What's the Alternative to Mercury Fillings?
One alternative to silver mercury fillings is the use of composite resin, also known as tooth-colored fillings. These restorations are cosmetically appealing and relatively inexpensive but do have some disadvantages, which include the following:
- Short life span
- Recurring tooth decay
- May cause hypersensitivity in some patients
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