Are silver (amalgam) fillings safe?
Although amalgam fillings have been used for over 150 years and no verifiable adverse health effects have been documented aside form a rare allergic reaction no large scale studies have been done demonstrating either the presence or absence of adverse health effects. Consensus among major dental organizations, based on years of use and lack of verifiable toxic effects of dental amalgam, is that amalgam fillings are certainly safe. Indeed, a vast majority of persons with amalgam fillings probably have little to worry about from their fillings. However, all forms of mercury are toxic to humans and very small amounts of mercury vapors are released from amalgam fillings. The minimum amount of mercury exposure required to cause symptoms in the most sensitive individuals is not known. Currently, all dental, public health and major scientific organizations agree that amalgam based fillings should not be replaced for prevention of “potential mercury toxicity”. Replacement of perfectly good fil
An amalgam filling is a blend of copper, silver, tin, and zinc, bound together by elemental mercury. Safety concerns are because of claims that mercury vapor can cause a variety of health problems. Mercury is a toxic substance for the body when exposed to high, unsafe levels such as has happened when people have eaten fish carrying high levels of mercury in them. However, the American Dental Association (ADA) states that when the mercury combines with other elements in silver fillings, it becomes an inactive substance and is safe. The ADA maintains that reputable studies have failed to find any link between silver mercury fillings and any medical disorder. The general consensus is that amalgam fillings are safe. Along with the ADA, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization, and FDA support the use of silver fillings as safe.
