October JADA finds amalgam restorations declining

ADA supports phasedown approach to amalgam use

Amalgam restoration placements decreased significantly between 2017 and 2023, according to a study published in the October issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association.

The cover story, “Declining US Dental Amalgam Restorations in US Food and Drug Administration-Identified Populations: 2017-2023,” used an electronic health records dataset to calculate the rates of dental amalgam restorations in populations identified as at risk by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These include pregnant individuals, children younger than 6, people with pre-existing neurologic conditions and people with impaired renal function.

The overall rate of amalgam restorations declined from 21.8% in 2017 to 4.1% in 2023 across the studied populations. Amalgam restoration rates also decreased within each individual population, but the most socially vulnerable within the groupings saw the smallest decline.

“The study results show a decreasing trend of dental amalgam restorations from 2017 through 2023 among FDA-identified populations, consistent with the Minamata Convention on Mercury directive for a phasedown in dental amalgam use,” the authors said in the study. “Notwithstanding improvements, lingering disparities persist among the most vulnerable population.”

The ADA supports a phasedown approach to dental amalgam use.

Other articles in the October issue of JADA discuss second-molar sealants among adolescents, the quality of orthodontic information on social media platforms and the perceived role of dentists in human papillomavirus and COVID-19 vaccinations.

Every month, JADA articles are published online at JADA.ADA.org in addition to appearing in the print publication. ADA members can access JADA content with their ADA username and password.