For generations, dentists placed silver-colored fillings in millions of teeth. But behind their familiar appearance lies a controversial ingredient: mercury. Now that Europe has largely phased them out, Americans are asking an uncomfortable question—why are they still permitted in the United States?

when selected through appropriate clinical judgment.

Several factors help explain why the United States has taken a different approach.
1. Scientific evidence has not established widespread harm

Although dental amalgam releases small amounts of mercury vapor, studies have not conclusively demonstrated that amalgam fillings cause harmful health effects in the general population.

This does not mean scientists have answered every question about long-term exposure, particularly among vulnerable individuals.

It means that the existing evidence does not justify claiming that amalgam fillings routinely cause neurological disease, kidney damage, or other chronic illnesses.
2. Amalgam has practical advantages

Amalgam has traditionally been