When dentists are questioned about amalgam restoration in recent survey, 66% told their patients that they have other cosmetic dentistry options. 22% on the other hand, tell their patients on safer and better options but many of them doesn’t use amalgams at all. In contrary though, dentists prefer filling in amalgams. As conducted in the survey, dentists also call amalgam restorations as silver fillings though there are many other terms that they can use for it.
This just proves that a number of dentists still think that mercury fillings are absolutely safe. One thing about amalgam that makes it pretty much anomalous is that it is seen as an old-fashioned material used in dental fillings.
The American Dental Association (ADA) urges its members to read and implement the new ADA Education Material. This brochure includes some points regarding dental amalgam. It says that, “the Centers Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as the ADA, have found no scientific evidence that casts any doubt on the safety of dental amalgam.”
It also identifies the pros and cons of using dental amalgams. The pros being that it’s the most durable and strongest direct restoration today. The cons is that it usually darkens after a time thus not making it obvious someone had a dental amalgam.
To see the brochure please click here
Source
As was mentioned in the last post, dental amalgam has its pros and cons. The cons is a controversial one at best.
Mercury is a toxic substance. A lot of people have been wondering why such a poisonous substance be placed inside one’s mouth. There have been a lot of critics against the usage of mercury because according to them it causes quire a lot of health problems like the ones listed below:
- Hair loss
- Gum disease
- Migranes
- Poor memory
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Mental lethargy
- Chronic fatigue
- Eczema
- Asthma
- Arthritis
- Backaches
- Kidney Diseases
- Etc.
It seems that it’s all traced to the mercury content. The American dental association thinks its safe still.Various states in the U.S. are already thinking about banning its use.
We’ll update you on news regarding this debate soon.
Source
Norway has issued its stand towards the dental amalgam controversy by deciding that Mercury should be kept away from one’s mouth and, therefore, banning dental amalgams all over the country. Norway has advised its dentists to find and use safer alternatives for dental reconstruction. The country has also banned all measuring equipment which utilizes mercury.
Efforts to decrease both human and environmental exposure to mercury poisoning and contamination were done by European countries through proposed restrictions and policies on the use of dental amalgam fillings. However, there are still no credible scientific proofs that mercury exposure from dental amalgam fillings cause serious human diseases in a community.
The effects of mercury poisoning and contamination have alarmed environmentalist on how mercury from excess dental amalgams can reach water supplies and, therefore, destroy the environment. They say that sewage plants cannot filter out the toxin from amalgam fillings which have directly contaminated a local body of water, resulting in disturbing effects on the community water supplies.
There are considerable requirements that need to be met in selecting an ideal dental restorative material. Some of the characteristics that need to be observed are the physical and mechanical properties of the material used, technical features, patients’ response toward the material (acceptability) and other clinical factors that can affect the material’s effectiveness.
According to the California Dental Association, dental amalgam is safe to use as a dental filling material and that dental amalgam is an economical and appropriate choice for dental patients who want to undergo dental reconstruction. Thus, CDA calls for the continued research and study of the use dental amalgam.
Mercury, being a toxic substance, when placed inside a patient’s mouth is said to cause health risks such as hair loss, gum diseases, eczema, asthma and other kidney diseases. It is also said to result in mental and emotional problems like migraines, poor memory, depression, anxiety and mental lethargy. Mercury is also claimed to cause muscle and skeletal problems like backaches and arthritis.
Since it has been proven that dental amalgam uses mercury as its main component, some people claim that cases of early hair loss in both men and women can be traced to mercury poisoning. Once mercury gets transformed from solid to vapor, people using this restorative material will be prone to inhaling mercury and this will result to health problems such as hair loss.