Dental amalgam (silver filling)

Amalgam has been used to fill cavities for well over a century. The dentist removes the decay, shapes the space, and packs in the soft mixture, which then hardens. The FDA says dental amalgam is a mixture of metals consisting of liquid mercury and a powdered alloy of silver, tin, and copper. Newer tooth-colored materials such as composite resin are now used more often. The FDA also says that removing intact amalgam fillings causes unnecessary loss of healthy tooth structure. If you have a health concern, talk with your dentist and your physician. See dental filling and our fillings page.