title: Issues in the amalgam debate.
abstract: This paper reviews the facts available on the biological effects of mercury released from amalgam restorations in teeth. There seems to be no doubt that mercuric vapor is released from restorations, but we do not know how much of this mercury is deposited in human tissues. There is no scientific evidence to support the belief that vapors from dental restorations either cause or exacerbate human diseases. Therefore, there is no clinical justification at present for replacing amalgam with other less durable or less predictable restorative materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: MacEntee
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mojon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008628:Mercury / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury