Dental amalgam has been in the spotlight ever since people started to raise questions about the safety of the mercury it contains. Studies showed that mercury is detrimental to health and can even cause death in certain conditions.
So just what is dental amalgam? For most parts, it is the element mercury mixed with some metal alloy that makes it malleable. Mercury on it’s own is a unique metal that has the qualities of a metal but flows like a liquid. Mix it with the metal alloy and you get a material that is easy to work with yet hardens to a tough filling. Mercury is also a bacteria killing material hence it’s widespread use in dental work.
The verdict is out. There is little to no scientific evidence that dental amalgam causes mercury poisoning, even over time. Here’s a part of the conclusion of a study conducted on the matter.
The current data are insufficient to support an association between mercury release from dental amalgam and the various complaints that have been attributed to this restoration material. These complaints are broad and nonspecific compared to the well-defined set of effects that have been documented for occupational and accidental Hg0 exposures. Individuals with dental amalgam-attributed complaints had neither elevated HgU nor increased prevalence of hypersensitivity to dental amalgam or mercury when compared with controls. The findings of these studies suggested that individuals with complaints self-attributed to dental amalgam should be screened for underlying dental, physical, and psychiatric conditions.
Little do many know that the silver fillings they have in their teeth may contain significant amounts of mercury which has been proven to result in health risks. That is why the EPA has released information on how dentists should store and dispose of removed fillings as much of them, though put in a long time ago still have active mercury within them making them unsafe for dumping into the waste disposal system.
Considered to be toxic, it has been identified as a source of mercury in the body after some fillings break leading to ingestion. Most dentists today prefer to remove the mercury filled fillings replacing them with composite materials that are inert and safer for the human body without the risk of leeching into the bloodstream.
Amalgam has been used for a long time and used to be favored by dentists the world over. Today however, they are subject to extensive research that has arisen due to a very toxic component, mercury. The only known liquid metal on earth, mercury is highly toxic and has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease and many other psychological disorders. Though called “silver fillings”, it is mostly mercury which has been associated with many diseases. This being the case, many dentists now prefer composite ceramics and plastics in its place and recommend older fillings to be removed and replaced by them.
There is also danger when they are removed for mercury releases vapors and dust as it is ground away from the tooth it used to grace. There are specialist dentists who have extensive experience with their removal and disposal for as said mercury is highly toxic.
Composites, Fillings, Health Risks, Tooth Repair
Image Source: www.smilesofwakeforest.com
Dentists have used dental amalgam to make metal fillings for a long time, but the material is more controversial now than ever before. Some worry the silver/mercury alloy may cause health problems, while others think it’s still superior to tooth-colored composite fillings.
Lots of dentists think mercury fillings are perfectly safe. “I have 40 year old silver in my mouth and no concerns whatever,” offered an Oregon dentist. “Mercury poison causes mercury poison symptoms. To my knowledge amalgam fillings never have. They try to blame amalgams on every disease under the sun. Why do people without fillings get the same diseases?” asked a Kentucky dentist.
Amalgam is seen as an old-fashioned material by many. “It was an excellent material for 90 years, but more biocompatible materials are now available,” declared a Georgia pediatric dentist. “At least a half a dozen countries in Europe have now done away with amalgam. Don’t kid yourself; we are just a stone’s throw in the US from the same ruling,” warned a Colorado dentist.
Dental amalgam is most often used to restore back teeth, where its metal color is less visible. “Next to gold inlays/onlays, amalgam fillings are the longest lasting and sturdiest posterior restorations that exist,” said a Virginia dentist.