title: The future of dental amalgam: a review of the literature. Part 3: Mercury exposure from amalgam restorations in dental patients.
abstract: This is the third article in a series of seven on the future of dental amalgam and covers mercury exposure from functioning dental amalgam restorations in patients. It firstly discusses the evidence for mercury release from amalgam fillings by considering the mechanisms of mercury release and its measurement in the expired air and the intra-oral air. In this connection it also discusses the various factors involved in the accurate measurement and calculation of mercury levels in these situations. It finally describes the various attempts to calculate the daily mercury dose from dental amalgam fillings and considers the likely accuracy of these calculations.
authors.affiliation: Periodontal Department, King's College School of Medicine & Dentistry, London.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Eley
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D001822:Body Burden; D001944:Breath Tests; D003343:Corrosion; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury