Dr. Mogell Dental Blog

Boca Raton Cosmetic Dentist

EPA Going After Mercury From Dental Amalgams

Friday, September 26, 2014

I saw a report today that the Environmental Protection Agency was proposing that dentists install a new type of amalgam separator in their offices to keep the mercury from old dental amalgams out of the water supply. I have one question - why do they still allow mercury amalgam fillings in the first place?

Dental amalgam (those old silver fillings) are about 50% mercury. Mercury is a neurotoxin - bad for everybody. While patients worry about having the stuff in their mouths those of us who spend our days removing old mercury fillings from patients are exposed to even more risk.

Our practice has never used mercury amalgam fillings and we never will. This is for the safety of our patients, our staff and the environment. Mercury amalgam fillings have been around since the 1800's - I think that material science has made some progress in the years since.

New dental restorative materials do not contain mercury and do not expand and contract when exposed to heat/cold, thereby cracking teeth. Tooth colored restorations are more aesthetically pleasing and actually help to strengthen the tooth.

Why do some dentists still place mercury amalgam fillings? Simple - the stuff is cheap and easy to work with. I'm hoping that progressive dentists will finally stand up and find a way to get rid of mercury amalgam use in the United States.

Labels: mercury fillings, tooth decay