Why is amalgam bad

Being transparent with your dentist is the best way to build a treatment plan that is best for you. Removing amalgam fillings can create more problems than benefits if removal is not necessary. You should only remove or replace amalgam fillings when they're broken, or when there is decay beneath the filling.

Removing good amalgam fillings results in unnecessary loss of healthy parts of the tooth and can release more mercury than keeping the filling in place. If you are concerned about existing amalgam fillings, discuss your options with your dentist. This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Shop Now. Our Mission. Contact Us. United States US English. Submit an Idea. Brand Logo. All rights reserved. Terms Of Use. Privacy Policy. About Our Ads. Children's Privacy Policy. Sign up now. Search Box Clear. Want more tips and offers sent directly to your inbox? As the cherry on top, amalgam is more budget-friendly, as it is less costly than other dental materials available.

As of , new regulations in the UK and European Union have restricted the use of amalgam fillings, meaning they are no longer allowed in patients under the age of However this is merely an environmental measure intended to reduce mercury contamination of the environment over time.

Millions of people have amalgam fillings and there is no evidence that they present a direct health risk. The combination includes silver, mercury, tin and copper. Sometimes amalgam includes small amounts of zinc, indium or palladium. When mixed with an alloy powder, mercury creates a compound that is soft enough to mix and press into the tooth. Another upside is that it hardens quickly and can withstand the forces of biting and chewing over many years. Since mercury is a metal that occurs naturally in the environment, everyone is exposed to mercury in some form, whether through the air, drinking water, soil or food.

As with most substances, harm caused by mercury in the body is related to the amount ingested. Very low levels of mercury don't cause any adverse effects. But at higher levels, mercury is known to cause several unfavourable symptoms. With amalgam, minimal amounts of mercury in the form of vapour can be released and absorbed into the body as the filling wears.

It makes sense to question whether amalgam is safe to put inside your mouth. However, there is no evidence that amalgam fillings are anything to worry about because the low level of mercury absorbed from them is not enough to create any toxic effects. In fact, studies have shown that the amount of mercury you can be exposed to from amalgam fillings is less than the amount that most people are exposed to in their daily environment or in the food they eat.

Because dentists work with mercury almost every day, they must take safety precautions to avoid negative effects that come with prolonged exposure. Without protection, dentists can inhale mercury vapours, which can produce symptoms over time. They will use protective wear during the mixing and preparation process, but by the time the amalgam is placed in your tooth, the mercury has formed a compound with the other metals and is no longer toxic.

If you would like to explore alternatives to amalgam , you have options you can discuss with your dentist. There are also high-copper amalgams that contain less mercury and more copper. If you would like to avoid amalgam altogether, talk to your dentist about other materials like composite resin, porcelain or gold to restore your teeth. Composite resin can be more visually appealing because it is a tooth-coloured material. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.

Currently, there are millions of amalgam dental fillings in use and they continue to be placed in dental schools, clinics and hospitals all over the world. They are considered safe and stable, yet their use continues to be debated, says dentist Nathan Janowicz, DMD. Dental amalgam is a mixture of liquid elemental mercury and a powdered alloy made up of silver, tin and copper. One study compared 10 symptomatic patients and eight patients who reported no health complaints.

The symptom group did not have a higher estimated daily uptake of inhaled mercury vapor, nor did this group have a higher mercury concentration in blood and urine than in the control group.

The amounts of mercury detected by the tests were trivial. Other research has shown that the problems patients believe are caused by amalgam restorations are related to their anxiety about them rather than to the fillings themselves.

When researchers tested the blood, they found no signs of mercury intoxication. According to the U.