Dental Amalgam Research Paper

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Dental amalgam is a material which is commonly used to fill cavities. This type of filling is also known as silver fillings. There have been many questions raised due to the use of this form of filling. This is due to the fact that dental amalgam is made up of a mixture of metals. These metals consist of liquid mercury and a powdered alloy that is made up of elements such as silver, tin, and copper. The reason why the use of this filling is so controversial is due to the fact that about 50% of dental amalgam is mercury. High amounts of mercury exposure are known to be toxic in humans. One would naturally wonder why this would be a controversial topic. One would think if it is toxic to humans why use it? Well there are reasons for this, and this is because unlike other types of mercury metallic mercury is considered non-toxic. Swallowing metallic mercury causes no type of poisoning or any harm to the human body. However, it is a proven fact that breathing in large quantities of metallic mercury vapor can cause a serious amount of poisoning. Metallic mercury vapors can be absorbed into the bloodstream almost instantly. In dental amalgam large quantities of mercury vapor are not being poured into the lungs, it is actually a …show more content…

Its advantages consist of the fact that they bond chemically to teeth, making it much easier to insert. Another advantage is from its constant release of fluoride into the mouth, which in turn reduces the chances of tooth decay. It is also a very good adhesive in the sense that it is very efficient when it comes to permanently cementing crowns, bridges, etc. The disadvantages of glass Ionomer cement fillings are actually a step down from composite fillings. For example, they are not as strong as composite fillings, nor are they less expensive than composite fillings. Another disadvantage is its ability to wear and they are also prone to

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