Dental amalgam restorations in nationally representative sample of US population aged ≥15 years: NHANES 2011-2016

Estimate the proportion of amalgam restorations among the US population.

Data from ≥15 year old clinically examined dentate participants in three 2-year survey cycles (NHANES 2011-2016) were analyzed. The 2015-2016 data include restorative material type, allowing for the first time a US estimate of amalgam-restored teeth.

The percent of the US population with at least one restoration (65.8 ± 1.4) was relatively constant in 2011-2016. Among those with restored teeth, the mean number of teeth with amalgam restorations increased with age from 4.71 among 15-24 year olds to 7.03 among those ≥75 years. Non-Hispanic Whites with restored teeth had the highest mean of teeth with amalgam restorations (5.94), while non-Hispanic Blacks had the lowest (5.08).

In 2015-2016, about half (51.5 percent) of restored teeth in the US population contained amalgam. Amalgam presence varied by age, tooth type, and race/ethnicity, but not by sex. These estimates can be used to assess future US caries prevention and dental amalgam reduction efforts.