What Is Silver Amalgam?

Amalgam is a special type of alloy that can be formed from mercury with one or more metals. The amalgam used for dental restoration is a long-time dental filling material. There is silver paste in "Tang Bencao" written by Su Gong in China (AD 659). Record. Li Shizhen's Compendium of Materia Medica (1578 AD) provides a more detailed description of this ^[1] . 1896 United States V. Black has done a lot of research and improvement on the composition, properties, blending and filling methods of amalgam, making amalgam a more ideal filling material. Although there are many filling materials for the treatment of dental caries, the filling of the posterior teeth, especially the cavities with larger teeth, has not been a better filling material than amalgam ^[2-4] .

Mercury can volatilize at normal temperature, and it is easy to cause pollution. The ways are: Mercury splashes due to careless operation, penetrates into the floor, table seam, etc., and is not easy to eliminate; it becomes a long-term source of pollution; Due to the high temperature, mercury vapor is easy to overflow; There is a mercury vapor overflow during the removal of the filler and the development and filling process.

It must be done: Keep the consultation room well ventilated; Regularly check the mercury content in the air, which should not exceed 50m3; Perform regular urine tests on staff; Residual mercury can be stored in a sealed fixing solution or water; Avoid contact with silver mercury Alloys, especially mercury, are in direct contact. After contacting, the contact parts should be washed with soap and water. The method of dealing with splashed mercury drops: use aspirator bottles, blankets or fresh silver mercury to investigate the fine mercury. Drops, and can be sprinkled with sulfur powder at unreachable places, so that the surface is formed

There are many reports of the toxic effects of mercury on the human body, and it has attracted widespread attention in the medical community. There have also been many reports of mercury-related allergic reactions. Such as redness, swelling, blisters, ulcers, and white damage in the mouth; hyperemia, red rash, itching, swelling on the skin, and a positive patch test response. Such patients should not be exposed to amalgam fillings. If a contact allergy is diagnosed, other filling materials should be used immediately. Due to the toxicity of mercury, Norway, Sweden and Denmark have banned the use of mercury as a filling material in 2008.