Mercury in the environment comes in 3 forms, methyl mercury (organic mercury), inorganic mercury (aka mercuric salts) and elemental mercury. Dental amalgam is a combination of metals; 50% elemental mercury, with the balance being comprised of silver, tin, copper and a trace amount of zinc. There has been controversy over the use of mercury in dental fillings ever since 1826, when a Parisian dentist combined it with silver, copper and other metals to form a paste. Seven years