Amalgam fillings

Dental amalgam is the traditional silver-coloured filling we are all familiar with. Although there is a small amount of mercury in dental amalgam, once it is combined with the other materials in the amalgam filling its chemical nature is changed and it is deemed harmless. Research into the safety of dental amalgam has been carried out for over a century and, to date, no trustworthy controlled studies have found a connection between amalgam fillings and any medical problem.

Whilst composite (tooth-coloured) fillings are becoming very popular for aesthetic reasons, amalgam fillings represent a very durable and long-lasting form of filling available.

As composite fillings are considered to be ‘cosmetic’ treatment, amalgam fillings are generally the only type of filling provided through the NHS (other than in front teeth where standard shades of composite filling will be used to try to integrate the visibility of the filling with the tooth).

For information regarding white (tooth coloured) fillings, please see the Composite Fillings section