Are there other options to amalgams?
The decision in placing other restorative materials should be decided by you and your dentist depending on several factors, including esthetic concerns, cost, tooth location, your wishes and time demands. Other materials include gold, porcelain and composite resin. Each material has a specific use. You and your dentist should discuss what type of material would be best for your mouth.

Sources: American Dental Association, Centers for Disease Control and the Academy of General Dentistry (Revised 4/00)

What is dental amalgam?
Dental amalgams or silver fillings have reportedly been used as early as 659 A.D., France began using the materials in 1826 and the United States in 1833. Dental amalgam is made out of a mixture of metals such as silver, copper, tin and bound with mercury. The mercury makes up between 45-50 percent of the mixture and acts as a glue that binds the components into a hard stable, and safe substance that is manipulated and adhered to your tooth. In fact, amalgam can be the least costly, quickest way to restore teeth, and is used in approximately 50 percent of all dental cases. Although this percentage is declining with the use of newer materials like composite resins.

Is dental amalgam safe?
Dental amalgam has been used for more than 150 years and can last in a patient's mouth for more than 12 years. No scientific studies have demonstrated that the mercury contained in dental amalgam is harmful. For example, studies show that the mercury found in a filling is less than a person's normal exposure to the mercury found in food, water and air. Therefore, dentists continue to place amalgams to preserve a tooth.  
The United States Public Health Service and the Food and Drug Administration Dental Products Panel are some of the many organizations that have determined amalgam is safe for preserving a tooth's structure.
Amalgam has been claimed to cause some health problems, such as dizziness, headaches, fatigue, nervousness and sometimes compromised general health. The only people, however, who have been found to have a true reaction to amalgam are those who are allergic to mercury, which is approximately one percent of the population. If you think you have a sensitivity to amalgam, ask your physician for a blood test.

How is my tooth prepared for a filling?
Once your dentist determines that you have decay, it is important to take care of it. Once the decay is removed, the amalgam is mixed and placed into the tooth. The final filling is then carved and adjusted to your bite. Once placed, it can take up to two weeks for your filling to harden completely. However, you may chew on the surface 24 hours later. If you have any prolonged discomfort with the tooth, contact your dentist for an evaluation.