In 2020 the key amalgam competitors on the international market were Kerr Dental (USA), Dentsply Sirona (USA), SDI limited (Australia), lvoclar Vivadent (Liechtenstein), Ardent (Sweden), Cavex (Netherlands) and Nordiska (Sweden).
Since then, both US major players Dentsply (in 2020) and Kerr (in 2021) have left the business due to FDA’s safety warning. Ardent left in 2022. Ivoclar only continues to distribute amalgam on the US market and Cavex stopped the exports by January 2025 due to the revised EU Mercury Regulation.
Further European manufacturers like Merz, DMG Europe (both Germany), UnoDent, PrimaDent (both UK), CFPM (France), DMP (Greece), Madespa (Spain), BMS Dental or World Work Srl (Italy) have already completely left the business due to stricter requirements of the new EU Medical Device Regulation.
Other manufacturers like New Stetic or BAMC have left the business due to national regulations (Colombia banned the import and manufacturing of dental amalgam in 2023 and China is restricting the construction, renovation, and expansion of dental amalgam production devices since 2019).
SDI is today by far the global market leader of manufacturing dental amalgam and responsible for a significant contribution to the mercury pollution worldwide.
According to research findings, only 45 % of amalgam from capsules end up in the fillings after processing. Especially in countries where there is no adequate hazardous waste management, the surplus pollutes the soil, water and air during waste incineration or other disposal practices, but also the fillings pollute the environment via crematoria, burials or excretions.
Here is a list of remaining dental amalgam producers with further information:
– Stocks of manufacturers that cease the production might continue to be available up to the expiry date of about 10 years –
1. Southern Dental Industries (Australia, global distribution)
www.sdi.com.au
- SDI is the last publicly traded manufacturer of dental amalgam and was able to increase the sales, when Dentsply and Kerr left the business. SDI is distributing its products in more than hundred countries.
- In 2019, SDI received a $3 million Commonwealth Government Grant for the project "Dentistry without mercury – Glass fibre reinforced flowable dental composite restorative materials “and successfully developed the Riva and Stela lines as amalgam replacement products.
- In 2023, SDI became co-financing partner (with $ 4,5 million in-kind contribution) of the GEF7 Project to phase down dental amalgam, with the role to contribute knowledge and experience of the dental industry shifting from manufacturing dental amalgam to alternative mercury-free dental restorative materials.
- In 2024, SDI published a Corporate Governance Statement, declaring not to be aware of having any material exposure to environmental or social risks, although this has been repeatedly pointed out by civil societies.
- Faced with mounting opposition to its amalgam policy from investors and international NGOs, Samantha Cheetham, CEO of SDI, promised to stop producing dental amalgam by 2028 or earlier.
- At a call on 27 February 2025 Samantha Cheetham even said that the focus of SDI is now to exit the market by 2028, which should include the end of distribution.
- In the financial year 2024-25 SDI cites a 20.45% decline in amalgam sales, most pronounced in North America and Europe. The Daily Telegraph writes: "As with pliers, amalgam fillings no longer represent cutting-edge dental practice.“
2. Silmet Dental (Israel, global distribution and EU Certificate)
www.silmetdental.com
- Silmet is probably the second biggest manufacturer of dental amalgam on the global market, Co-branding dental amalgam with Nordiska (Sweden), Cooksondental and Global Dental Trading (Czech Republic). The former Cooperation with
R&S,KentDental,Septodent(France), Safinaapparently stopped. - "Co-Branding customers may keep selling their brand without the aggravation of any regulatory requirements or responsibility at all" so that the products are for example certified for the EU market until the expiration of Silmet's EU Certificate on 31 December 2028.
3. Nordiska (Sweden, global distribution and EU Certificate)
www.nordiskadental.se
- Nordiska Dental is a Swedish brand owned by "Dent a Pharm" (Germany).
- In Europe, which has been one of the largest markets in previous decades, Southern Dental Industries (SDI) and Nordiska are dominating on the distributors websites.
- Nordiska continues to export dental amalgam through its production in Israel (Silmet) and the US (Wykle)
4. Wykle Research (US, national distribution)
www.wykleresearch.com
- Wykle Research (US) is one of the few companies focussing its business primarily on amalgam.
- Wykle manufactures dental amalgam for Nordiska Dental. It is bound to "Dent a Pharm" in Germany as well.
5. Cavex (Netherlands, global distribution)
www.cavex.nl
- Cavex belongs to the Japanese Mitsui Chemicals Group.
- On 19 December 2024 Cavex announced on their website that the production is officially discontinued: "From 01 January 2025, Cavex Holland will no longer export Dental Amalgam to countries outside the EU. The last produced orders are being delivered to customers in Europe until 31st December 2025."
6. Global Dental Trading Ltd (Czech Republic, global distribution and EU Certificate)
www.gdentaltrading.com
- Global Dental Trading continues to distribute dental amalgam with a Co-labelled Certificate from Silmet
- The use of dental amalgam continues to be allowed in the Czech Republic until 31 June 2026
7. Bome (Czech Republic, global distribution and EU Supply)
www.bome.cz
- Bome is probably Europes main recycler of dental amalgam waste and manufacturer of mercury pillows for amalgam capsules, supplying the international market.
- Bome should stop exporting amalgam pillows as it is subject to the EU ban on exports from 1 January 2025. Potential Clients of Bome, like Silmet or Cooksondental may be effected.
- The use of dental amalgam continues to be allowed in the Czech Republic until 31 June 2026
8. Nais (Bulgaria, UK distribution)
www.dental-polishers.com
- Nais bought the machines to produce dental amalgam from Ardent (Sweden), which left the business in 2022.
- Due to the EU Export ban by January 2025, Nais shifted its production to Serbia.
9. Cooksondental (UK, South America distribution)
www.cooksondental.com
- Cookson Dental supplies a range of dental alloys, tools and accessories to dental laboratories in the UK and internationally. It produces metal powder for dental amalgam capsules and has its own brand Aristaloy.
- The production of dental amalgam moved from Czech Republic to Israel after the EU banned the Export by January 2025
10. Trent Dent (UK, UK and Middle East distribution)
www.trentdent.co.uk
- Trent Dent Products Limited is engaged in the manufacturing and global distribution of dental restorative materials
- Dental Amalgam Capsules are apparently packed in Iran, where they are especially available.
11. Technical & General Ltd. (UK, UK and Middle East distribution)
www.tgdent.com
- Technical & General Ltd's portfolio covers a wide range of applications and products are distributed worldwide.
- Dental amalgam is playing only a small role in the portfolio.
12. Inci Dental (Türkiye, Middle East distribution)
www.incidental.com.tr
- Incidental is mainly exporting dental amalgam to the middle east.
13. Kuanta Dental (Türkiye, Middle East distribution)
www.kuantadental.com
- Kuanta exports dental amalgam to the middle east.
14. Foshan SCS Medical Instrument Co., LTD (China, global distribution)
www.scsdental.cn
- One of the last Chinese producing manufacturer.
- China is restricting the construction, renovation, and expansion of dental amalgam material production devices since 2019
15. AT&M Biomaterial (China, global distribution)
www.atmbio.com
- AT&M Bio produces GK and apparently had to move its production from China to Iran because of national restrictions.
16. CY International (China, global distribution)
www.cyinternational.com
- CY International produces Honghai Alloy. It is the main supplier of dental amalgam in China.
17. Dental Products of India (DPI) (India, national distribution)
www.dpi.co.in
- Dental Products of India is a division of the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Ltd, a pioneer in the manufacture of dental materials in India.
- DPI offers loose amalgam powder as well as amalgam capsules
18. Maarc Dental / Shiva Products (India, national distribution)
www.maarcdental.com
- Shiva Products (India) is selling liquid mercury for mixing it with powdered alloy, a product which should have been banned in line with the Minamata Convention on Mercury since 28 September 2023. But, India is an OptIn Country under the Minamata Convention, why the new amendment form COP4 is not applying directly and still needs to be ratified.
19. Owzan (Iran, regional distribution)
www.owzan.com
- Owzan (Iran) currently produces two sets of products called Amalgam powder and Amalcap.
- Owzan apparently sold amalgam powder to Afghanistan for the equivalent of 4 billion Rial in informal exports.
20. Sepehr Fellez Negin (Iran, regional distribution)
www.sites.google.com/view/sepehr-fellez-negin/english
- Sepehr Fellez Negin (Iran) is producing dental amalgam only.
- According to the contact person in Germany it is the cheapest amalgam in the world. Companies are offered to buy and resell it on the international market.
21. Raycadent (Iran, regional distribution)
www.raycadent.com
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According to the first full national report to the Minamata Convention, Iran is prohibiting production permissions for manufactures of amalgam capsules since 2014 and only 5 manufacturers are still active in the country. These should be: Raycadent, Sepehr Fellez Negin, Owzan, Trent Dent and Nordiska Dental.
22. Yotadent (Iran, regional distribution)
www.yotadent.ir
- Dental Amalgam Brand of the Negar Azin Zagros Company (Iran)
23. Henry Schein (US, global distribution)
www.henryschein.com
- Henry Schein, a FORTUNE 500 Company and a member of the S&P 500®, is an American distributor of health care products and services with a presence in 33 countries.
- Henry Schein manufactures dental amalgam and distributes it as a house brand. Subcompanies are DE Healthcare Products, Essentials Healthcare Products and CyberTech
- Despite criticism, Ethisphere named Henry Schein as one of the 2024 World's Most Ethical Companies for the 13th consecutive year.
24. Ivoclar Vivadent (Liechtenstein, US distribution)
www.ivoclar.com/en_us/
- Ivoclar only sells and manufactures dental amalgam in the US.
25. DMG America (US, national distribution)
www.dmg-america.com
- The European and international branch of the company already left the business of dental amalgam in 2021
26. Quila Quina (Argentina, national distribution)
www.quilaquinapo.com
- Quila Qiina is probably the last manufacturer of dental amalgam in Latin America.
- The sales of dental amalgam declined significantly.
Global Player that left already:
1. Dentsply Sirona (US, global distribution)
www.dentsplysirona.com
- In its annual report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Dentsply announced: “[W]e have discontinued sales for all amalgam products as of December 2020.” It explained, ““In September 2020, the FDA issued an updated recommendation that certain people are at higher risk for health problems from mercury-containing amalgam dental fillings, such as pregnant women and their developing fetuses, women who are planning to become pregnant, nursing women and their newborns and infants, children, especially those younger than six years of age, people with pre-existing neurological disease such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer disease, or Parkinson disease, people with impaired kidney function, and people with a known allergy to mercury or other components of dental amalgam.”
2. Kerr (US, global distribution)
www.kerrdental.com
- Envista sent a letter to the World Alliance for Mercury-free Dentistry stating that it has “…ceased manufacturing all Alloy products, including all of our amalgam products that may contain mercury.” Kerr goes on to explain that “Specifically, we ceased manufacturing these products in the third quarter of 2021 and communicated this decision to our customers in November of 2021. As part of this communication, we cancelled many of our customers outstanding orders for amalgams containing mercury and directed our customers to our other materials that do not contain mercury. We also engaged in a vigorous campaign to assist our customers in swapping their amalgam products containing mercury to materials that do not contain mercury.”
3. Ardent (Sweden, global distribution)
www.ardent.se
- "AB Ardent, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-class dental amalgam filling materials, has stopped the production and sale of amalgam products at the end of June 2022 after more than 30 years."
4. Tinid by Quila Quina (Argentina, national distribution)
https://www.solerson.com.ar/marcas-odontologia1/quila-quina/
- Only national producer in Argentina
- Certificate Expired on 23 April 2023
5. BMS Dental (Italy, global distribution)
www.bmsdental.it
- BMS stopped distributing and advertising for Dental Amalgam in January 2025
6. Madespa (Africa, Middle East)
www.dentalmadespa.com
- Madespa is based in Toledo, a historic city of metal industries.
- Madespa stopped advertising for Dental Amalgam in November 2024
- The EU Certificate expired on 28 February 2024.
7. Pyrax Health Sciences Pvt. Ltd. (India, national distribution)
www.pyraxpolymars.in
- Pyrax stopped producing mercury products. Amalgam ran out of stocks in January 2025.
8. Kuanta (Türkiye, Middle East distribution)
www.kuantadental.com
- Kuanta is mainly exporting dental amalgam to the middle east.
- Kuanta stopped distributing dental amalgam by January 2025
Further Information:
Updated: Manufacturers leave the business of Dental Amalgam in Europe