It is already a known fact that Silver amalgams which are used to restore the lost part of a tooth, are not safe for people, as they contain the toxic metal Mercury, due to which the name “Amalgam”.
But ever since people have learned that Amalgams have more than 50% mercury in it, the race against this material has increased. People have made groups and associations to stop companies from manufacturing it and trying to make dentists decrease the usage of Amalgams.
Since 2002 the U.S. FDA (Federal Drug Administration) has classified amalgam dental fillings as a class II device, basically meaning that there are no restrictions placed on amalgam filling materials.
In an agreement to settle a lawsuit filed by the group Moms Against Mercury the FDA agreed in June 2008 to change their website to acknowledge the possible dangers associated with amalgam fillings. The FDA now admits that mercury vapor is released during chewing on an amalgam filling and also when the silver fillings are placed and removed from the teeth.
According to researchers, the mercury in Amalgam is harmful to the systems associated with the brain and it causes neurological symptoms in the Children or fetus developing in a pregnant woman. Also it affects the elderly people.
So it is advised to the dentists to encourage and increase the usage of Composites as restorative material rather than Silver amalgams for restorative purposes.
Amalgam is dangerous, it is like slow poison, but also the cost is affordable than composites so i hope there is an alternative for amalgam, which comes out soon. . . R.I.P amalgam
It’s good to know for the next time I take my kid to the dentist. Thanks!
iam trying to educate my patients about amalgam harmful effects and they respond v.well
You have to understand basic sciences. Sodium is poisonous and so is chlorine, but when they are together (ionic bond) we eat them everyday as salt. Mercury independently is poisonous but in Silver amalgam is bound (covalently) to other metals(Ag, Zn, Cu, Sn). Even if is does leach out(controversial)it cannot reach the toxicity levels to cause harm. We get more mercury from fish!!! Be careful what you hear, white fillings are not as strong as silver. This will lead to leakage and secondary caries.
You are wrong.
The FDA never stated that dental amalgams are not safe and neither did they say to increase the usage of composites. They said that “there was not enough information” to determine the dangers of amalgam fillings and that it “does not recommend that you have your amalgam fillings removed”.
Check the FDA site for yourself:
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/amalgams.html
The toxicity of amalgams are over-rated as resin composites may also contain toxic components.
Please talk to a real dentist for more information.
http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/positions/statements/amalgam.asp you should see this, it seems that amalgam is not bad as they say, but it is just not so expensive any more and does not bring dental companies much money…
Even here in the Philipppines, a lot of write-ups are circulating regarding the harmful effects of amalgam not only to the patients but also to the clinician. It’s a good thing that PDA had its article came out educating dentists of how to prevent/minimize the harmful effects of mercury to us. In my clinic I’d been educating my patients, for years now, of the advantages of this material…