Where does all this leave me as a dental patient? What sort of attitude should I take to dental amalgam?

Take a common sense approach to your decisions about dental amalgam. Discuss your situation with your dentist and determine if there are special reasons to be cautious about amalgam use in your case. Your dentist wants you to be aware of the conclusions reached in the range of scientific studies on dental amalgam.

And don’t just decide to have your amalgam fillings removed in response to media reports focussing on selected scientific studies. If you have strong personal concerns, ask about alternative restorative materials (such as composite fillings, ceramic inlays or onlays, or gold castings) as your fillings need to be replaced.