Last updated: August 2026. Sources: legislation.gov.uk, the UK Parliament, the British Dental Journal, the British Dental Association, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme, the NHS Business Services Authority and NHS.uk. All regulatory dates and NHS charges verified on 19 August 2026.
TL;DR Dental amalgam is not banned in the UK in 2026. Great Britain restricts it for children under 15 and for pregnant or breastfeeding women and is gradually phasing it down, while Northern Ireland can keep using it until 2034. Existing amalgam fillings are considered safe and do not need removing simply because they contain mercury.
If you have silver fillings and you have seen headlines about a "mercury filling ban", it is natural to wonder whether your fillings are about to be outlawed, whether they are safe, and whether you should have them taken out. The short answer is reassuring, but the full picture is genuinely complicated, because the United Kingdom is not one single rulebook on this. England, Scotland and Wales follow one set of rules, Northern Ireland follows another, and both sit inside a wider international agreement to wind amalgam down over the next decade.
This guide explains exactly where amalgam stands across the UK in 2026, why mercury is the issue at all, whether your existing fillings are safe, whether you should replace them, and what you can expect on the NHS as the material is slowly retired. Everything below is drawn from primary legislation, official government statements and dental profession sources, with each claim referenced at the end.
Are amalgam fillings banned in the UK? The short answer
No. Dental amalgam, the hard-wearing silver-grey filling material that has been used for well over a century and contains mercury bound with silver, tin and copper, is not banned in the UK as of 2026. What is happening instead is a slow, phased reduction, and the exact rules depend on where you live.
There are three layers to understand:
- In Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), amalgam is still permitted for most adult patients. Since 2018 it has been restricted for specific groups, and the government's stated direction of travel is to "phase down" its use over time rather than ban it outright. [1] [2]
- In Northern Ireland, a special arrangement linked to the Windsor Framework means dentists there have a formal exemption allowing them to keep using amalgam until the end of 2034. [3] [5]
- Globally, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, an international treaty the UK has signed, agreed in November 2025 to end the manufacture, import and export of dental amalgam worldwide by 2034. [6]
So the correct way to describe the situation is a phase-out in progress, not a ban that has already landed. Amalgam is being managed out of use gradually, with the clear end point somewhere around 2034, but a dentist in England can still legally place an amalgam filling in an adult's tooth today.
What is dental amalgam, and why the concern about mercury?
Dental amalgam is the traditional "silver filling". It is a mixture of roughly half liquid mercury with a powdered alloy of silver, tin and copper, which sets hard inside the tooth. Dentists have relied on it for generations because it is strong, long-lasting and forgiving to place, which makes it well suited to large cavities in the back teeth that take the heavy load of chewing.
The concern is the mercury. Mercury is a toxic heavy metal, and while the mercury in a set filling is chemically bound and released only in tiny amounts, the bigger issue driving the rules is environmental rather than a proven danger to patients. When amalgam waste is not captured properly, mercury can enter water and soil, and cremation of people with amalgam fillings releases mercury into the air. Reducing mercury pollution is the main reason regulators worldwide are steering dentistry towards mercury-free alternatives.
This distinction matters for the rest of this guide. The phase-out is largely an environmental policy, not a declaration that your existing fillings are harming you, which is why the safety advice and the regulatory timeline point in slightly different directions.
The rules in Great Britain: a phase-down, not a ban
In England, Scotland and Wales, the key legal rule comes from mercury regulations that the UK retained after leaving the EU. Under Article 10 of retained Regulation (EU) 2017/852, in force since 1 July 2018, dental amalgam must not be used for:
- the treatment of baby (deciduous) teeth,
- children under 15 years of age, and
- pregnant or breastfeeding women,
except where the dentist considers it strictly necessary for that particular patient. [1] Since January 2019 amalgam has also had to be supplied only in pre-measured, encapsulated form rather than as bulk mercury, to protect dental staff and reduce waste. [1]
For everyone else, that is most adults, amalgam remains legal in Great Britain. The government confirmed this position as recently as October 2025. In a written parliamentary answer, the Department of Health and Social Care described dental amalgam as "a well-established, safe, and effective dental filling material" and said that "current policy is to restrict and phase down the use of dental amalgam to reduce any environmental impacts". [2]
The phrase to hold onto is restrict and phase down. Great Britain has not set a hard cut-off date for amalgam in the way the EU has. Instead it is tightening the rules step by step and encouraging mercury-free alternatives, while leaving amalgam available where a dentist judges it the right clinical choice.
Northern Ireland: a special case until 2034
Northern Ireland is the exception within the UK, and it is worth understanding why, because it is the part of the story most often reported incorrectly.
Because of the Windsor Framework, Northern Ireland stays aligned with certain EU single-market rules, and the EU introduced a much stricter amalgam regime (covered in the next section). On its face, that would have forced Northern Ireland to stop using amalgam far sooner than the rest of the UK. To prevent that, a specific exemption, known as a derogation, was secured. It allows dentists in Northern Ireland to continue importing and using dental amalgam until 31 December 2034, or until an earlier global phase-out date takes effect, whichever comes first. [3]
The reason for the exemption was practical. Northern Ireland has a high reliance on amalgam within its health service, and the British Dental Association warned that losing it abruptly would have been severe. The BDA welcomed the derogation as offering a "glimmer of hope" for a struggling service, having earlier cautioned that an immediate ban "could have spelled the end for NHS dentistry in Northern Ireland". [4]
The UK gave this exemption legal and enforcement effect through the Control of Mercury (Enforcement) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/1189). It is important to be precise about what this instrument does. It is an enforcement measure focused on Northern Ireland, giving customs and enforcement bodies the powers to police amalgam import and export rules and confirming the exemption runs to the end of 2034. [5] It is not a ban on amalgam in England, Scotland or Wales, and it should not be read as "the UK amalgam ban".
The EU ban and the global Minamata phase-out
Two developments outside Great Britain explain why amalgam is in the news and why the direction of travel is clear even though there is no domestic ban.
The EU acted first. The European Union banned the use of dental amalgam across its member states from 1 January 2025, with only a narrow exception where a dentist deems it strictly necessary for a specific patient. Restrictions on manufacturing and exporting amalgam within the EU follow in mid-2026. [3] This is the rule Northern Ireland would have been pulled into without its derogation, and it is why the two parts of the UK now sit on different timelines.
The world then set a shared end date. At the sixth Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, held in Geneva from 3 to 7 November 2025, governments agreed to end the manufacture, import and export of dental amalgam globally by 2034. [6] The decision keeps a clinical-necessity exemption so dentists can still use amalgam where a patient genuinely needs it, and the 2034 date was deliberately set later than some had proposed in order to give countries time to adapt without widening oral health inequalities. [6]
Put together, these two milestones mean amalgam is on a clear path out of routine dental use over the next decade, even in the parts of the UK where it is still freely permitted today.
Are amalgam (mercury) fillings safe?
This is the question most patients actually care about, and the reassurance here is separate from the environmental phase-out. UK health bodies do not advise having sound amalgam fillings removed on safety grounds.
The government's own position, quoted above, is that amalgam is "a well-established, safe, and effective dental filling material". [2] The groups for whom new amalgam is restricted, children under 15 and pregnant or breastfeeding women, are covered by a precautionary rule rather than by evidence of harm, and for those groups a dentist will normally choose an alternative material anyway. [1]
Crucially, clinical guidance is clear that removing intact fillings can do more harm than good. The Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme advises that amalgam fillings should not be removed solely for cosmetic reasons or because of concerns about mercury, and that a sound filling should be replaced only when it actually fails, for example when it cracks, when decay develops beneath it, or when further treatment is needed. [7] The reason is straightforward: drilling out a healthy amalgam filling briefly releases more mercury vapour than leaving it in place, so unnecessary removal can increase your exposure rather than reduce it. [7]
The sensible takeaway is that if your amalgam fillings are intact and doing their job, there is no health reason to rush to have them taken out.
Should you replace your existing amalgam fillings?
For most people, the answer is no, not for its own sake. Replacing a filling that is working well means removing healthy tooth structure and starting the repair cycle again, and as noted above it briefly raises mercury exposure. [7]
There are, of course, legitimate reasons a dentist might replace an amalgam filling:
- the filling has cracked, worn or leaked, or decay has formed underneath it,
- the tooth has become sensitive or painful,
- part of the filling or tooth has broken away, or
- you want to change it for cosmetic reasons, preferring a tooth-coloured result.
The first three are clinical reasons and would usually be treated on the NHS if you are an NHS patient, because the work is necessary. The last one, swapping a perfectly good silver filling for a white one purely for appearance, is generally considered a cosmetic choice and is typically offered privately rather than on the NHS. If you are weighing this up, it helps to understand what the different filling materials and their costs actually are before you decide, and to talk it through with your dentist rather than acting on a headline.
If cost is your main concern, our guide to private filling prices by material sets out what you might pay for composite, glass ionomer and other tooth-coloured options if you go down the private route.
What replaces amalgam? White fillings on the NHS
As amalgam is phased down, the main alternative is the tooth-coloured composite filling, a resin-based material bonded into the tooth. Other mercury-free options include glass ionomer cements, which are often used for children, near the gum line, or as a temporary measure.
A common misunderstanding is worth clearing up here, because it affects what you can ask for. Many people believe the NHS only allows white fillings on the front teeth and insists on amalgam for the back teeth. That is not the current rule. The NHS Business Services Authority confirms that tooth-coloured fillings can be provided on the NHS where they are clinically justified and the material is suitable for the situation, and there is no blanket front-teeth-only restriction. [9]
What that means in practice is that whether you get a white or a silver filling on a back tooth is a clinical decision, not a fixed policy. Amalgam is still sometimes the better choice for a large cavity in a heavily loaded molar because of its durability, so a dentist may recommend it on those grounds. But a white filling on a back tooth can be, and increasingly is, provided on the NHS when it is the appropriate material. If you specifically want white over amalgam purely for looks in a case where amalgam would be the clinical choice, that is where a private charge may apply. [9]
On the NHS in England, a filling of either kind falls within a Band 2 course of treatment, which costs £76.60 as of April 2026 (Band 1 is £27.90 and Band 3 is £332.10). [10] Many people pay nothing at all: NHS dental treatment is free if you are under 18, or under 19 and in full-time education, pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months, or receiving qualifying benefits such as Universal Credit within the income threshold, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, or if you hold a valid HC2 certificate. [11] You can check who qualifies for free NHS dental treatment and how the NHS charge bands work in our dedicated guides. Charges and exemptions differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so do not assume the England system applies everywhere in the UK.
What the phase-out means for NHS patients
For patients, the amalgam phase-out is less about safety and more about access and cost pressure on an already stretched NHS dental service. Composite and other mercury-free fillings generally take longer to place than amalgam and can be more technique-sensitive, which has knock-on effects on how many patients a dentist can see and on cost.
This is the heart of the dental profession's concern. Ahead of the EU vote, the British Dental Association warned that fillings make up a large share of NHS dental work and that moving away from amalgam, without extra funding and clinical time, would strain a service already struggling with capacity. [8] It is why Northern Ireland, with its particularly high reliance on amalgam, pushed hard for its derogation. [4]
None of this changes what you should do as a patient. If you need a filling, you will still be offered a suitable material, and pregnant patients and under-15s are already routinely given mercury-free options. The practical effect over the coming years is simply that white fillings will become the default and amalgam the exception. If you are struggling to get an NHS appointment in the first place, that is the more pressing issue, and our guide to finding a good dentist in the UK covers how to improve your chances.
Frequently asked questions
Are amalgam fillings banned in the UK? No. As of 2026, amalgam is not banned in the UK. Great Britain restricts it for under-15s and pregnant or breastfeeding women and is phasing it down over time, while Northern Ireland has an exemption to keep using it until the end of 2034. There is no date by which existing fillings must be removed. [1] [3]
Are mercury (amalgam) fillings safe? UK health bodies treat amalgam as safe for the general population. The Department of Health and Social Care describes it as "a well-established, safe, and effective dental filling material", and clinical guidance advises against removing sound fillings over mercury concerns. The restrictions on new amalgam for children and pregnant women are precautionary, not based on evidence of harm. [2] [7]
Should I have my amalgam fillings replaced with white ones? Not for its own sake. Removing a healthy filling means losing more tooth and briefly raises mercury exposure, so dentists replace amalgam only when it fails, decays underneath, or causes symptoms. Swapping a sound silver filling for white purely for appearance is a cosmetic choice and is usually a private treatment. [7] [9]
Can I get white fillings on the NHS for my back teeth? Yes, where they are clinically justified. The old idea that the NHS only allows white fillings at the front is not the current rule. Whether you receive a white or silver filling on a back tooth is a clinical decision, and amalgam may still be recommended for large cavities in molars because it is hard-wearing. [9]
Why is mercury being phased out of fillings if the fillings are safe? The driver is mainly environmental, not patient safety. Mercury is a pollutant, and international agreements including the Minamata Convention on Mercury aim to cut mercury use across all industries. The global agreement is to end amalgam manufacture and trade by 2034. [6]
How much does an NHS filling cost in 2026? A filling falls within a Band 2 NHS course of treatment in England, which costs £76.60 as of April 2026. Treatment is free for under-18s, pregnant patients and those on qualifying benefits. Charges differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. [10] [11]
Does the NHS pay to remove amalgam fillings? If an amalgam filling has failed, decayed or is causing problems, replacing it is clinically necessary work that would be covered within an NHS course of treatment. Removing a perfectly sound filling purely because you would prefer white is considered cosmetic and is normally a private treatment. [7] [9]
Finding a dentist you trust
A good dentist will explain the material they recommend and why, and will not push you to replace healthy fillings you do not need to touch. If you are looking for a practice near you, you can search for a dentist in your area on Dentists Closeby and compare the practices covering your postcode. Our guide to finding a good dentist in the UK covers what else to look for when you register, and if you are expecting, dental care during pregnancy explains your free treatment and the mercury-free filling options you will be offered.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2017/852 on mercury, Article 10 (dental amalgam) -- legislation.gov.uk, retained EU law in force in Great Britain since 1 July 2018, accessed 2026-08-19
- Dental Services: Mercury (Written question HL11484) -- UK Parliament, Department of Health and Social Care answer, 31 October 2025, accessed 2026-08-19
- Northern Ireland exempt from EU dental amalgam ban -- Dental Tribune UK, 6 August 2024, reporting the EU ban (from 1 January 2025) and the Northern Ireland derogation, accessed 2026-08-19
- Amalgam derogation offers glimmer of hope for struggling service -- British Dental Association, August 2024, accessed 2026-08-19
- The Control of Mercury (Enforcement) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/1189) -- legislation.gov.uk, 2025, accessed 2026-08-19
- Minamata Convention COP-6 agrees to end the use of dental amalgam by 2034 -- Minamata Convention on Mercury (UNEP), Geneva, 3-7 November 2025, accessed 2026-08-19
- Dental amalgam: guidance -- Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme, accessed 2026-08-19
- Government failure on amalgam ban could break NHS dentistry -- British Dental Association, January 2024 (position on the then-proposed EU-wide ban), accessed 2026-08-19
- Can I provide white fillings on the NHS? -- NHS Business Services Authority Knowledge Base, accessed 2026-08-19
- How much NHS dental treatment costs -- NHS.uk, charges effective 1 April 2026, accessed 2026-08-19
- Who can get free NHS dental treatment in England -- NHS.uk, accessed 2026-08-19
- What are NHS fillings and crowns made of? -- NHS.uk, last reviewed 8 July 2026, accessed 2026-08-19
