Dental amalgam is a dental filling material used to fill cavities caused by tooth decay.Dental amalgam is a mixture of metals, consisting of liquid (elemental) mercury and a powdered alloy composed of silver, tin, and copper. Approximately half (50%) of dental amalgam is elemental mercury by weight. The chemical properties of elemental mercury allow it to react with and bind together the silver/copper/tin alloy particles to form an amalgam. Dental amalgam fillings are often referred to as “silver fillings” because of their silver-like appearance, although the use of this term in not recommended because the term does not correctly explain the materials in amalgam.
Dr. Banić