Dentists all over the world remove millions of amalgam fillings every day, with no regard for the possible mercury exposure that can result from grinding them out. Much of the time, a new amalgam filling goes back in place of the old one. The dental establishment claims that amalgam is a stable material, that emits little or no mercury, but then turns around and blames the mercury–free dentists...

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to quantify the relationship between number of dental amalgam surfaces and urinary mercury levels. METHODS This study uses participant data from a large philanthropic chronic disease prevention program in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Urine samples were analysed for mercury levels (measured in μg/g-creatinine). T-tests were used to determine if difference...

Objective. The purpose of this review paper is to review the literature regarding the toxicology of mercury from dental amalgam and evaluate current statements on dental amalgam. Materials and Methods. Two key-words "dental amalgam" and "toxicity" were used to search publications on dental amalgam biocompatibility published in peer-reviewed journals written in English. Manual search was also co...

OBJECTIVES Amalgam restorations are replaced by adhesively placed composite resin restorations at an increasing rate. After the removal of amalgam dentine often shows marked dark discoloration that is attributed to the penetration of corrosion products from overlying amalgams. It is questioned whether penetration of metals into dentine affects the dentine as a substrate for adhesive procedures....

Mercury-containing dental amalgam is known to be a source of human exposure to mercury. We have explored the use of electron yield Hg L(III) X-ray absorption spectroscopy to characterize the chemical nature of dental amalgam surfaces. We find that the method is practical and that it shows extensive mercury depletion in the surface of the aged amalgam with significant differences between old and...

To assess amalgam use and waste management protocols practised by Pakistani dentists, a cross-sectional study was made of 239 dentists in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, recruited by convenience and cluster sampling. Amalgam was the most frequently used restorative material, with the choice dictated by patients' financial constraints. While 90.4% of dentists perceived amalgam as a health risk, only 4...

This report is a critical evaluation of the use of dental amalgam with special consideration of the possibility of chronic mercury poisoning. The description of psychic and somatic symptoms associated with corrosion of amalgam might help people with similar symptoms to recognize the possible source of their problems. Medical practitioners need to recognize the characteristic manifestations of m...

There are many ways to develop and market a practice, I am hearing more everyday about the "metal-free" practice. In fact, anymore it seems a practice is looked down upon if metal is used. What exactly is "metal-free," and why is it promoted as the best way to practice dentistry? Does it mean implants should be nonmetalüc? Is orthognathic surgery wrong when metal plates and screws are placed? I...

JADA 142(6) http://jada.ada.org June 2011 651 A45-year-old woman visited her general dentist because of severe pain in the right mandibular posterior region. Her first molar contained a large mesialocclusal-distal amalgam restoration, and the patient experienced symptoms consistent with irreversible pulpitis. In addition, radiographs showed changes associated with the mesial root. The second mo...