Understanding Amalgam

Dental amalgam is a mixture of
mercury, silver, tin, and copper.
Small amounts of zinc, indium or palladium also may be used.

Chemical makeup of amalgam

Amalgam is used to repair tooth structure that has been damaged by decay.

Tooth repaid

It has been used as a filling material for over

Tooth filling

The earliest mention of dental amalgams appeared in a Tang Dynasty medical text in 659.

Tang Dynasty

Why is there mercury in amalgam?

Why mercury

Because it makes the filling material pliable enough to mix and fill the tooth yet hardens enough to withstand the force of biting and chewing.

New nanocomposites are eliminating the need for amalgam. They don't contain mercury and the ability to match natural tooth color makes them about almost undetectable.

Matching tooth color is easy

Contact your Oral Care provider for additional information. 3M Oral Care does not provide dental advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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