Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Amalgam Fillings: Do Dental Patients Have A Right To Informed Consent, Michael A. Royal

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

Recent animal studies have shown significant mercury absorption from dental fillings and resulted in unfavorable media attention. Yet, an FDA advisory committee has found no evidence of Risk to dental patients, and many dentists believe that patients are being unnecessarily alarmed. The paper reviews the history of amalgam fillings through the recent animal studies and concludes that the Risk, whatever it may prove to be, is sufficiently high to warrant permitting patients to choose between amalgam and alternative dental filling materials.