Elsevier

Dental Abstracts

Volume 62, Issue 4, July–August 2017, Pages 194-196
Dental Abstracts

Hands On
Phase-down of amalgam in Australia

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.denabs.2017.03.019Get rights and content

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Background

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) support a phase-down of dental amalgam use. The Minamata Convention has agreed to a worldwide reduction in both the production and use of mercury-containing products and processes. Amalgam use has been reduced significantly since the 1980s, being replaced in most cases by resin composite, and this is widely accepted by dentists worldwide. However, a sense of resignation among dentists has also been

Methods

A survey was distributed to dentists who were members of the Australian Dental Association or Members and Fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons. The questions dealt with the use of direct restorative materials as well as the decision to implement an amalgam use phase-down. Responses were recorded in a Likert format, with five responses ranging from ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’; open-ended questions were also included so respondents could make comments.

Results

The 408 respondents represented a confidence level of 95%. Sixty-two percent were men, 90% were in private general practice, and 71% practiced primarily in a metropolitan city. Seventy-four percent obtained their primary dental qualification in Australia, with 25% from the United Kingdom, 19% from India, and 17% from New Zealand. Post-graduate qualifications were held by 29% of the sample.

Thirty percent of the respondents did not use amalgam for direct restorations. Several respondents

Discussion

It appears inevitable that amalgam will no longer be used in dental applications in the near future, based on the growing adoption of minimally invasive techniques and increased acceptance of resin composite for direct restorations. This will be not be accomplished without a significant degree of concern on the part of dentists—especially older ones—for the lack of a good replacement material. The implications of eliminating amalgam can be significant for many dentists’ practices.

Clinical

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Alexander G, Hopcraft MS, Tyas MJ, et al: Dentist’s restorative decision-making and implications for an ‘amalgamless’ profession. Part 3: Dentists’ attitudes. Austral Dent J 61:502-513, 2016

Reprints available from G Alexander, 12-28 Macedon St, Sunbury, Victoria 3429, Australia; e-mail: [email protected]

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