Roadmap to mercury ‑free dentistry era: Are we prepared?

From the perspectives of longevity, mechanical performance, and economics, amalgam has long beenconsidered the material of choice, especially for certain types of restorations in posterior teeth, includingreplacement therapy for existing amalgam fillings. In spite of numerous advantages over other fillingmaterials, its use has been decreasing in recent years and the alternative tooth ‑colored filling materialsare increasingly used. There is a trend towards minimal interventional, adhesive, techniques in dentistry,which are based on adhesion to tooth structure by chemical interaction and/or micromechanicalretention. At the same time, the quality and durability of alternative materials have improved. Mercuryis the metallic element of concern used in dental amalgam. Mercury is a well ‑documented toxicant,with reasonably well ‑defined characteristics for the major forms of exposure, involving elementalmercury as well as organic and inorganic mercury compounds. Looking into the kind of practice andits popularity among dentists and the patients in India, even we have to comply with the use of amalgamby implementing the best possible ways to minimize the extent of damage to nature.Key Words:Dental amalgam,harmful effect,Hazardous waste,Mercury toxicity,Amalgam toxicity
Source: Dental Research Journal - Category: Dentistry Source Type: research