Why is mercury used in dental amalgam?
Approximately half of a dental amalgam filling is liquid mercury and the other half is a powdered alloy of silver, tin, and copper. Mercury is used to bind the alloy particles together into a strong, durable, and solid filling. Mercury’s unique properties (it is the only metal that is a liquid at room temperature and that bonds well with the powdered alloy) make it an important component of dental amalgam that contributes to its durability.