Mercury Amalgam and alternatives

Originally posted by Soothfast
I used to have some mercury fillings, but they were all replaced by porcelain or composite resin by about 15 years ago. My dental insurance generally covers composite resin fillings, but not the entire cost of porcelain onlays or inlays (which are needed for bigger jobs). For porcelain it will cover the cost for a comparable metal filling and I have to p ...[text shortened]... is capped at lower prices than you'd pay if you just walked in off the street with no insurance.

Sweden and Norway (and probably more countries) has solved the problem. Why cannot USA solve that problem?

When my amalgam fillings from before the ban goes bad, they replace it with alternative filling, with no further cost. Amalgam fillings that still holds will stay where they are.

Originally posted by FabianFnas
Sweden and Norway (and probably more countries) has solved the problem. Why cannot USA solve that problem?

When my amalgam fillings from before the ban goes bad, they replace it with alternative filling, with no further cost. Amalgam fillings that still holds will stay where they are.

I don't think I had to pay for any alternative fillings that did not require an upgrade to a porcelain onlay.

Originally posted by FabianFnas
Sweden and Norway (and probably more countries) has solved the problem. Why cannot USA solve that problem?

When my amalgam fillings from before the ban goes bad, they replace it with alternative filling, with no further cost. Amalgam fillings that still holds will stay where they are.

What specific problem did they solve? Did they make composite resin more durable than in the USA? I went to the dentist today and asked if I could get composite resin fillings for back teeth instead of amalgam if I payed the difference in cost. He told me they have to replace any fillings that don't last 2 years so they would not do it. They only use composite resin for front teeth.

I don't know why composite resin is so weak that they have little confidence in it here, but they don't. How long does composite resin last in a back tooth where you are from? What country do you live in?

Originally posted by Metal Brain
What specific problem did they solve? Did they make composite resin more durable than in the USA? I went to the dentist today and asked if I could get composite resin fillings for back teeth instead of amalgam if I payed the difference in cost. He told me they have to replace any fillings that don't last 2 years so they would not do it. They only use com ...[text shortened]... long does composite resin last in a back tooth where you are from? What country do you live in?

My dentist will use composite resin on any tooth, but only for small cavities -- which tend to be found in the front teeth. For bigger jobs you have to use porcelain or some other ceramic material, but the cost goes up quite a bit. Where I go they have machines that cut out the needed porcelain piece in a matter of minutes.

Originally posted by Metal Brain
What specific problem did they solve? Did they make composite resin more durable than in the USA? I went to the dentist today and asked if I could get composite resin fillings for back teeth instead of amalgam if I payed the difference in cost. He told me they have to replace any fillings that don't last 2 years so they would not do it. They only use com ...[text shortened]... long does composite resin last in a back tooth where you are from? What country do you live in?

Every gram used Mercury will end up in nature, if you don't take care of it properly. Do you do that in USA?

As I wrote to sonhouse:
"And when you die, then they extract your mercury fillings? Or do they bury it all in the grave, mercury and all?
If you are cremated, they let your mercury goes into the air in smoke?"
I haven't got any answer to this. Yet. Would you care to answer?

Originally posted by FabianFnas
And when you die, then they extract your mercury fillings? Or do they bury it all in the grave, mercury and all?
If you are cremated, they let your mercury goes into the air in smoke?

I doubt if anyone is going to worry about that! What would there be, a few milligrams of mercury in your mouth? One thing I want to know, is why mercury in the first place? What makes mercury good at making amalgams anyway? Why can't some other metal work as well, like gold or silver or copper?

We use indium here at work for the interface between surfaces at 10 degrees kelvin and the work that might be at 70 degrees K as an insulating layer but it is just as liquid as mercury at room temperature or a bit above, so if it's the liquid effect that makes mercury good, maybe indium can substitute.

Originally posted by FabianFnas
Every gram used Mercury will end up in nature, if you don't take care of it properly. Do you do that in USA?

As I wrote to sonhouse:
"And when you die, then they extract your mercury fillings? Or do they bury it all in the grave, mercury and all?
If you are cremated, they let your mercury goes into the air in smoke?"
I haven't got any answer to this. Yet. Would you care to answer?

I know a woman that is a dental assistant for the health dept. dentistry and she said they put it in a sealed container to be shipped elsewhere for proper disposal. She said this didn't take place at the other places she used to work, so I'm assuming most do not take care of it properly unless there has been a recent change.

I don't bury people for a living but I'm guessing the amalgam gets buried with the body. The mercury is still bound in the amalgam so I don't see that as a big deal unless something happens under ground I am unaware of to change that. Good question about the cremation. I have no idea. I'm curious too. If they don't remove the teeth before cremation they should.

Originally posted by sonhouse
I doubt if anyone is going to worry about that! What would there be, a few milligrams of mercury in your mouth? One thing I want to know, is why mercury in the first place? What makes mercury good at making amalgams anyway? Why can't some other metal work as well, like gold or silver or copper?

We use indium here at work for the interface between surface ...[text shortened]... a bit above, so if it's the liquid effect that makes mercury good, maybe indium can substitute.

I found this in a quick search.

http://jdr.sagepub.com/content/68/8/1231

Dental Amalgam has been around for a very long time. It is not very comforting that it was invented before mercury was known to be toxic. They actually gave mercury to people during the civil war when it was used as a treatment. According to wikipedia dental amalgams were first documented in a Tang Dynasty medical text written by Su Kung in 659, and appeared in Germany in 1528. In the 1800s, amalgam became the dental restorative material of choice due to its low cost, ease of application, strength, and durability.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amalgam_(dentistry)

Originally posted by Metal Brain
I know a woman that is a dental assistant for the health dept. dentistry and she said they put it in a sealed container to be shipped elsewhere for proper disposal. She said this didn't take place at the other places she used to work, so I'm assuming most do not take care of it properly unless there has been a recent change.

I don't bury people for a ...[text shortened]... n. I have no idea. I'm curious too. If they don't remove the teeth before cremation they should.

So we agree of that mostly out in USA the dental mercury isn't taken care of, but it will end up in the air and in the ground. The airborne mercury will also end up in the ground eventually. Well in the ground it will be taken care of bacterially and transformed to the the organic form where it will enter the foodchain. Or it will be washed out in the watersystem, lakes and rivers, and enter the sea where it will be taken up of microorganisms and the rest of the foodchain. Remember that human beings are in the top of this foodchain.

This mean that most of the amalgam fillings, even yours, are entering the foodchain sooner or later. In Sweden and Norway, and probably other awared countries (not USA) takes this seriously and has banned mercury fillings once and for all. USA waits to see if it harms nature to find out, when it does, it is already too late.

Originally posted by sonhouse
I doubt if anyone is going to worry about that! What would there be, a few milligrams of mercury in your mouth? One thing I want to know, is why mercury in the first place? What makes mercury good at making amalgams anyway? Why can't some other metal work as well, like gold or silver or copper?

We use indium here at work for the interface between surface ...[text shortened]... a bit above, so if it's the liquid effect that makes mercury good, maybe indium can substitute.

How much cost indium? Does indium pose any toxic or environmental problems? Does indium produce any galvanic currents? Does it taste bad?

When the mercure is sealed in your mouth, then it is not toxic. But it will be in nature with the aid of bacterias that is transforming the mercury into organic forms of mercury and enter the foodchain. Then it is toxic, especially for organism in the top, especially humans.

No worries? Hell, yes! Worry!

Originally posted by FabianFnas
So we agree of that mostly out in USA the dental mercury isn't taken care of, but it will end up in the air and in the ground. The airborne mercury will also end up in the ground eventually. Well in the ground it will be taken care of bacterially and transformed to the the organic form where it will enter the foodchain. Or it will be washed out in the wat ...[text shortened]... for all. USA waits to see if it harms nature to find out, when it does, it is already too late.

"So we agree of that mostly out in USA the dental mercury isn't taken care of, but it will end up in the air and in the ground."

Yes, we agree. I also read that the USA agreed an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. It appears my country has not respected the treaty so far.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minamata_Convention_on_Mercury

Originally posted by FabianFnas
How much cost indium? Does indium pose any toxic or environmental problems? Does indium produce any galvanic currents? Does it taste bad?

When the mercure is sealed in your mouth, then it is not toxic. But it will be in nature with the aid of bacterias that is transforming the mercury into organic forms of mercury and enter the foodchain. Then it is toxic, especially for organism in the top, especially humans.

No worries? Hell, yes! Worry!

My guess is the reason for that is politicians getting bought off by the metals industry, not wanting to spend the billions needed to clean toxins up. I do see batteries with notices on them 'no mercury' so that's a good sign at least.

I don't think they care much about those kind of environmental rules in Russia either. There was a story of some ghetto kids finding a liter sized bottle of mercury and opening it, spilling it on the ground, playing with it in their hands, coating coins and such. Then the kids got sick and the authorities basically ignored the liter of mercury drifting into the ground.

Originally posted by sonhouse
My guess is the reason for that is politicians getting bought off by the metals industry, not wanting to spend the billions needed to clean toxins up. I do see batteries with notices on them 'no mercury' so that's a good sign at least.

I don't think they care much about those kind of environmental rules in Russia either. There was a story of some ghetto ...[text shortened]... ds got sick and the authorities basically ignored the liter of mercury drifting into the ground.

Well, some countries don't give a r*ts *ss about environment. My government does. And for that I am proud, we are on the right track, IMHO.

We don't have any mercury thermometers, forbidden by law. No new mercury dental fillings, forbidden by law. Mercury batteries, I think forbidden for sale (I haven't seen any for long time). Light bulb of the edison type with led connections and high power consumption, about to be banned. Lights with mercury, will be banned.

What I have learn of this and similar threads is that (P1) "USA is the best in the world in environment" and (P2) "We don't care about climate and CO2 and toxic waste", and of these two statements both cannot be true.

I hope, for the future of the world, that burning of oil, gas and coal soon will be banned and eventually obsolete, and that this will happen soon in order to save the climate, waters, and the rest of environment.

Originally posted by FabianFnas
Well, some countries don't give a r*ts *ss about environment. My government does. And for that I am proud, we are on the right track, IMHO.

We don't have any mercury thermometers, forbidden by law. No new mercury dental fillings, forbidden by law. Mercury batteries, I think forbidden for sale (I haven't seen any for long time). Light bulb of the edison ...[text shortened]... nd that this will happen soon in order to save the climate, waters, and the rest of environment.

I'm with you 100%. I wouldn't mind living in Sweden.

Originally posted by sonhouse
I'm with you 100%. I wouldn't mind living in Sweden.

You're welcome! Anytime!

But don't forget Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland. Also a high standard in their environmental ambitions.

Norway because they have the highest percentage of electrical cars in the world. No fancy words, but action!
Denmark because of their high percentage of wind power. No fancy words, but action!
Iceland because of their user of geothermic energy. No fancy words, but action!
And Finland... just because it is Finland!