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.
Some disadvantages of using dental amalgam include: 1) Destruction of healthy tooth tissue; 2) Lack of esthetic qualities; 3) Replacement as a result of “ditching†caused by long-term corrosion at tooth-restoration interface; 4) Existence of galvanic response potential and local allergic potential; 5) Possible mercury toxicity, and; 6) Marginal breakdown.
Dental amalgam is said to be durable, flexible to suit a broad range of clinical situations, economical and is easily moldable in case of repair. It also lasts for a long period of time and is proven to prevent bacterial leakage since the corrosion products close the tooth-restoration interface. Also, having dental amalgams is convenient since it only needs one appointment replacement.
Dental amalgam is said to be suitable for people of all ages. It is used when there is serious damage on the tooth structure. It is a less expensive treatment applied in the stress-bearing areas of the teeth and in small to moderate sized cavities in the posterior teeth. It also used as a foundation for cast-metal, metal-ceramic and ceramic restorations.
Dental amalgam is said to be one of the oldest materials used in oral health care. It is created by combining equal parts of elemental liquid mercury (43 to 54 percent) and an alloy powder (57 to 46 percent) which is composed of silver, tin, copper, and, at times, even small amounts of zinc, palladium or indium.
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.