Authors' objectives:

For environmental reasons a prohibition of the use of amalgam as a material for dental filling has been proposed by the Danish Government - and is to be enforced in 1999. The aim of this project was to study the use of amalgam and its alternatives e.g. plastic materials or prevention.

Authors' results and conclusions: Amalgam is still the most used material for dental filling due to its endurance and price. There is great uncertainty as to what material is to take the place of amalgam as plastic materials can only partly be used as a substitute e.g. for small cavities and for milk teeth. There is very little knowledge as to side-effects of plastic materials. In the report child dental health services in ten municipalities are analyzed concerning strategies, organization and costs. Furthermore, aspects of the dental health service for young adults are evaluated. Finally, relations between conditions for dental healthcare and environmental concerns are discussed. The use of amalgam within dental care has dropped substantially due to better methods of prevention. Further efforts in the direction of prevention could be suggested in order to minimize the need of dental filling. To achieve that goal suggestions as to the most adequate way of organizing public dental health service would have to be made.

Authors' recommendations: Research into possible risks by the use of new materials should be intensified. There is a need for continued research into materials and methods to the improvement of the materials' ability to set and wearability. Research should concentrate on as well side-effects to the patient as consequences for working environment. A direct step of action in order to reduce pollution would be to impose conditions on the discharge of waste water from dental clinics. Research in preventive methods should be followed up by information and instruction into clinical application. There is a need to intensify research into and experimentation with the organization of child and youth dental care. After young people have finished dental care for children, their dental health should be surveyed and registered with an eye on later evaluation of the effort of prevention. Other output or dissemination activity: Improvement of the use of preventive methods.

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://www.dsi.dk

Year Published: 1991

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Denmark

Organisation Name: Danish Institute for Health Services Research

Contact Address: DSI, PO Box 2595, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark Tel: +45 35 29 8400; Fax: +45 35 29 8499

Contact Name: hhj@dsi.dk

Contact Email: hhj@dsi.dk

Copyright: Danish Institute for Health Services Research (DSI)