Controversy - Silver fillings vs. White fillings
September 11th, 2007 by teethSince its introduction in the early 1800’s, the use of a mixture of half silver and half mercury as dental “Amalgam” to fill cavities has created controversy. The arguments continue to this day for and against its use. Much scientific research has been done, but this has done nothing to settle the debate. So how do we know if Amalgam fillings are safe?
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published the results of two independent and well-designed studies published in tomorrow’s Journal of the American Medical Association add to the substantial body of peer-reviewed scientific literature that supports the safety of dental amalgam as an option for patients and their dentists in treating dental decay.
The published studies measure whether children with dental amalgam fillings experienced any adverse effects related to neurobehavioral, neuropsychological (IQ) and kidney function. They found that there was no difference in neurological performance and kidney function in children who have amalgam fillings compared to a control group with composite (white) fillings.
To read articles published in the JAMA about the safety of dental amalgam click here.
To read more about dental amalgam fillings from the American Dental Association (ADA) click here.
