Dental amalgam is a type of filling material that has been used for over 150 years and like lots of things invented long ago there are problems. A key ingredient in dental amalgam is mercury. Mercury is a neurotoxin and can leach into the environment where it finally ends up in our food supply. Rising mercury levels in tuna and other fish is a good example of what can happen.

The EU is thinking about phasing out the use of mercury dental amalgam over a five year period because of these environmental risks. It is estimated that about 45 tons of mercury from EU dental offices end up in chairside drains every year. Only a small portion of this is captured and treated as hazardous waste. The rest ends up in the environment.

There are plenty of alternative restoration materials available for dentists to use. Sweden has already banned mercury filling material and Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Italy have reduced its use. Other countries have placed strict rules in place if dentists continue using this material.

Why do some dentists continue to use mercury based fillings? Usually it is because dental amalgam is cheap and easy to use – restoring a tooth using modern composite materials requires a higher level of skill and takes a little more time. Avoiding exposure to mercury for patients, staff and the environment is worth a little more time in the chair.

Please contact the mercury-free office of cosmetic dentist Dr. Mark Levy  in Columbus, OH today at 614-476-6696 to schedule your next appointment.