Banning the dental amalgam ? A speculation to review
Author(s): Hussain Ali John*, Shweta Sedani
Abstract
The most controversial material in dentistry is dental amalgam. Despite all the controversy, it is one of the oldest and the most used restorative material in the world. The unique properties of dental amalgam like the ease of use, durability for several years, high compressive strength and inexpensiveness are second to none. However, in no way is dental amalgam the perfect restorative material. It shows tarnish and corrosion, it is not aesthetically pleasing and it contains mercury which can be a potential health hazard as it can cause toxicity, leading to several severe systemic disorders. This has led to a few countries deciding to ban the material altogether while some are planning to reduce its use and eventually no longer permit its use for dental purposes in the future.