Position Summary
Under the Minamata Convention, dental amalgam may continue to be used where a dental practitioner determines it is clinically necessary based on the individual needs of the patient. When used in accordance with current regulations and in its approved capsulated form, dental amalgam remains a safe and acceptable restorative option where clinically indicated.
2. Position
2.1. Dental amalgam should continue to be available for use as a dental restorative material in appropriate clinical situations.
2.2. Only capsulated dental amalgam that complies with ISO 24234:2021 ‘Dentistry – Dental amalgam’ should be used.
2.3. Dentists should minimise the use of dental amalgam in children, pregnant or breastfeeding women and in individuals with kidney disease.
2.4. Dental clinics should practise mercury hygiene and correctly dispose of amalgam waste (1).
2.5. Dental amalgam restorations should not be removed and replaced with alternative restorative materials for non-specific or perceived health complaints unless the patient has been fully informed of the risks and benefits of this decision.
2.6. Further research into the potential adverse effects of the alternatives to dental amalgam is desirable.
3. Background
3.1 Dental amalgam has been used as a restorative material for almost 200 years. Extensive research has demonstrated that it is a durable, safe, and effective option for dental treatment (2).
3.2. In December 2021, the Australian Government ratified the Minamata Convention on mercury with an effective implementation date of March 2022. The Convention, which is legally binding, requires that after 1 January 2024 amalgam can only be used in its capsulated pre-dosed form, and the use of bulk mercury is prohibited.
In addition, the Convention strongly discourages the use of dental amalgam in deciduous teeth, in patients under 15 years of age, and in pregnant women, except where its use is considered clinically necessary based on individual patient circumstances. At the Sixth Conference of the Parties (COP6) to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, held on 7 November 2025, it was agreed that 2034 would be set as the global phase-out date, after which the manufacture, import, and export of dental amalgam will no longer be permitted. Notwithstanding this phase-out, the Convention allows for continued use of dental amalgam where a dental practitioner determines that its use is necessary to meet the specific needs of the patient.
3.3. The FDI World Dental Federation’s position on amalgam safety (3) includes:
• dental amalgam is a clinically well-proven and successful filling material for teeth. It releases very small amounts (nanograms) of mercury, some of which are absorbed by the body. The level of urinary mercury is positively correlated with the number and size of amalgam restorations, but it is usually more affected by sources other than amalgam. Concerns have been expressed about the safe use of dental amalgam for the general population.
• the preponderance of available evidence does not link the presence of amalgam restorations with chronic and degenerative diseases, kidney disease, autoimmune disease, cognitive dysfunction, adverse pregnancy outcomes or any non-specific symptoms in the general population. Vulnerable groups are patients with a proven allergy to amalgam or to one of its components, or with an existing severe renal disease. As with any other medical or pharmaceutical intervention, caution should be exercised when considering the placement of any dental restorative materials in pregnant women.
3.4. There is no evidence that replacement of sound amalgam fillings by alternative materials, without clinical indications, produces a better health outcome for patients.
4. Definition
4.1. DENTAL AMALGAM is a mixture of metals including silver, copper and tin with mercury forming a stable alloy.
5. Last review
February 2026
6. Next review due
February 2021
1. Australian Dental Association. Guidelines for clinical handling of dental amalgam. Document version: 2023-08
2. Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENHR). (2015). Safety of dental amalgam and alternative dental restoration materials for patients and users. https://health.ec.europa.eu/publications/safety-dental-amalgam-and-alternative-dental-restoration-materials-patients-and-users_en
3. FDI World Dental Federation (2021). Amalgam (Part 1): Safe Management of Waste and Mercury. www.fdiworlddental.org/amalgam-part-1-safe-management-waste-and-mercury. https://www.fdiworlddental.org/amalgam-part-2-safe-use-and-phase-down-dental-amalgam