The European Commission asked its independent Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) to provide a risk assessment on dental amalgam and alternatives such as resin-based composites, glass ionomer cements, ceramics and gold alloys to update the SCENIHR’s 2008 Opinion in light of new developments and data.

In the light of new developments and studies on dental amalgam a request was submitted by the Commission to update the SCENIHR opinion produced in 2008 on the safety and performance of both dental amalgam and possible alternatives, such as resin-based composites, glass ionomer cements, ceramics and gold alloys.

This study assessed occupational exposure in dental surgeries on the basis of the reported use of dental materials and techniques and applied waiting-time-to-pregnancy methodology to study fertility in relation to the occupational exposure.