From the resident dentist....

The switch to capsules containing the alloy of metals and mercury many years ago, has practically eliminated the problem of mercury retention in the office. I'm sure that in the old days, handling of the mercury and alloy mixtures by dentists and assistants, caused some problems. Today, we do very few amalgams, not necessarily due to patient concerns about the mercury, but because people want invisible, white fillings.

As far as all ceramic crowns are concerned, when possible, we are now fabricating all porcelain crowns through CAD-CAM technology, right in the office. They promise to be as strong and as long lasting as pocelain fused to metal crowns. I am now in my third year of doing this and have a great deal of success with them.

Getting back to the topic at hand, amalgam fillings have been blamed for all sorts of medical problems for as long as I have been in practice and many years before. As far as I know, there has never been a study to show any link between amalgams and any diseases.

Jerry