For many years there has been concern about the safety of amalgam (silver) fillers. An amalgam is a mixture of copper, silver, tin, and zinc combined with elemental mercury. Dentists have used this mixed metal to fill the teeth for more than 100 years. This controversy is due to claims that exposure to mercury vapors and tiny particles can cause various health problems.
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), up to 76% of dentists use silver-containing mercury to fill teeth. The ADA also pointed out that silver fillers are safe and studies have failed to find a link between mercury-containing mercury and any medical condition.
The general consensus is that amalgam (silver) fillers are safe. With the ADA's position, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization, FDA, and other agencies support the use of silver fillers as a safe, durable, and cost-effective method. The U.S. public health service said that the only reason for not using silver fillers is that the patient is allergic to any of the fillers. The ADA has reported less than 100 cases of allergies to silver fillings, which have countless millions of silver fillings for decades.
Although studies have shown that there is no measurable health risk for patients with silver fillings, we know that mercury is a toxic substance when we are exposed to highly unsafe levels. For example, we have warned against restricting the consumption of certain types of fish that contain high levels of mercury. However, for amalgam fillings, ADA believes that when mercury is combined with other ingredients of the filling, it becomes a safe inert substance.
