Are Amalgum Fillings safe?Are Amalgum Fillings safe?

Are Amalgum fillings safe?Are Amalgum fillings safe?

What are What are amalgum amalgum fillings?fillings?

Refute common Refute common misconceptions.misconceptions.

No Proof.No Proof.

What is an Amalgum filling?What is an Amalgum filling?

Amalgum is a material that is Amalgum is a material that is used to fill the hole that is used to fill the hole that is created by a cavity.created by a cavity.

Inexpensive, and very durableInexpensive, and very durable Amalgum is 50% Mercury, and Amalgum is 50% Mercury, and

the other 50% is comprised of the other 50% is comprised of other metals such as silver, tin, other metals such as silver, tin, copper, and sometimes smaller copper, and sometimes smaller amounts of zinc, palladium, or amounts of zinc, palladium, or indium indium

Common MisconceptionsCommon Misconceptions

Mercury used in amalgum Mercury used in amalgum fillings are hazardous.fillings are hazardous.

Although some forms of Although some forms of mercury are hazardous, the mercury are hazardous, the mercury in amalgam is mercury in amalgam is chemically bound to the other chemically bound to the other metals to make it stable and metals to make it stable and therefore safe for use in dental therefore safe for use in dental applications. applications.

The mercury in the amalgum The mercury in the amalgum is being released into the is being released into the blood of the patient, resulting blood of the patient, resulting in Mercury poisoning. in Mercury poisoning.

This is untrue. While it is clear This is untrue. While it is clear is that mercury is a known is that mercury is a known neurotoxin, found in fillings that neurotoxin, found in fillings that release small amounts of release small amounts of colorless, odorless mercury colorless, odorless mercury vapor into the body, these vapor into the body, these emissions are not high enough emissions are not high enough to cause health problems. to cause health problems.

People who have amalgum People who have amalgum fillings should have them fillings should have them removed and replaced with removed and replaced with composite fillings.composite fillings.

This can cause more harm than This can cause more harm than good many times. Removing good many times. Removing fillings can actually release more fillings can actually release more mercury into the body mercury into the body temporarily, the procedure is temporarily, the procedure is more risky for people who feel more risky for people who feel fine. Also by removing the fine. Also by removing the amalgum fillings the tooth can amalgum fillings the tooth can sustain damage to the point that sustain damage to the point that it needs to be removed.it needs to be removed.

No ProofNo Proof

Although it is true that Mercury Although it is true that Mercury does release small amounts of does release small amounts of colorless, odorless mercury colorless, odorless mercury vapor into the bodies there is no vapor into the bodies there is no proof that the amount of proof that the amount of mercury present is enough to be mercury present is enough to be considered harmful.considered harmful.

The American Dental The American Dental Association stands firmly behind Association stands firmly behind such fillings, saying they only such fillings, saying they only rarely cause problems, in people rarely cause problems, in people with mercury allergies, and are with mercury allergies, and are more durable than the more durable than the alternatives.   alternatives.  

Amalgam is the most thoroughly Amalgam is the most thoroughly studied and tested filling material studied and tested filling material now used. Compared to other now used. Compared to other restorative materials, it is durable, restorative materials, it is durable, easy to use, and inexpensive. The easy to use, and inexpensive. The American Dental Association, American Dental Association, Consumers Union, the U.S. Food Consumers Union, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. and Drug Administration, the U.S. Public Health Service, the World Public Health Service, the World Health Organization, and many other Health Organization, and many other prominent organizations have prominent organizations have concluded that amalgam is safe and concluded that amalgam is safe and effective for restoring teeth effective for restoring teeth

Improper claimsImproper claims It is against the law for a doctor to It is against the law for a doctor to

coheres a patient into removing all coheres a patient into removing all of their amalgum fillings.of their amalgum fillings.

Some doctors will misdiagnose a Some doctors will misdiagnose a patient with mercury poisoning to patient with mercury poisoning to justify replacing all of their justify replacing all of their amalgum fillings with composite amalgum fillings with composite ones, to make a profit.ones, to make a profit.

Ex. Huggins's dental license was Ex. Huggins's dental license was revoked in 1996. revoked in 1996.

The EndThe End