Medical Edge Newspaper Column

Amalgam Fillings: Drilling Down To The Facts

Oct. 9, 2006
DEAR MAYO CLINIC:
Can amalgam fillings cause mouth pain? -- Ft. Wayne, Ind.

ANSWER:
Amalgam fillings have been used for more than 100 years and studied extensively. There is no evidence that amalgam fillings cause mouth pain, or other health problems, except in the rare instance of an allergic reaction.

According to the American Dental Association, there have been fewer than 100 reported cases of allergic reactions to amalgam fillings. Symptoms are similar to a typical skin allergy including rash and itching. Dental amalgam fillings contain a mixture of metals including mercury, silver, tin, copper and zinc. The mercury chemically binds the metals into a hard, stable substance. Because of their appearance they are sometimes called silver fillings.

The fact that mercury is used in amalgam has raised questions about safety and possible links to neurological diseases. No data backs up these concerns.

There is a possibility of discomfort if you have an amalgam filling next to a gold crown because of the reaction between the metals. If you have a filling that is causing pain, see your dentist. It could be that the seal between the tooth and filling has weakened, chipped or cracked, and new decay is causing pain.

-- Sreenivas Koka, D.D.S., Ph.D., Prosthodontics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.