The rate of amalgam restorations decreased from 21.8% in 2017 to 4.1% in 2023, according to a new study in the October issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association.
Four notes:
1. Researchers used an electronic health records dataset to calculate the rates of amalgam restorations in populations identified as at risk by the FDA.
2. The populations examined for the study include pregnant individuals, children under the age 6, people with pre-existing neurologic conditions and people with impaired renal function.
3. The downward trend is consistent with calls to end the use of amalgam. During the fourth Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury in 2022, more than 130 nations agreed to an amendment requiring countries to protect vulnerable populations from dental amalgam use.
4. The ADA has also supported a phasedown approach to dental amalgam use, according to an Oct. 7 news release.