From 1 July, new rules apply in Croatian dental practices, marking the end of the routine installation of amalgam, so-called black fillings. The change stems from alignment with European Union regulations, which aim to gradually phase out mercury from dental medicine to protect health and the environment.
Amalgam is no longer the standard material installed at the expense of the Croatian Health Insurance Institute (HZZO). It will be used only exceptionally, when a dentist deems it necessary due to the patient's specific health circumstances.
The new standard becomes glass-ionomer and hybrid glass-ionomer cements, available to all insured persons within the scope of mandatory insurance. The profession highlights that these materials bond well to tooth tissue, are biocompatible, and release fluoride which additionally protects against decay, and are simpler for everyday application, reports Dnevnik.hr.
For patients, this means lighter and aesthetically more acceptable fillings instead of dark metal ones, while the right to cavity treatment at the expense of the HZZO remains unchanged.
White composite fillings remain free for front teeth, as well as for pregnant women, new mothers, and breastfeeding women. On back teeth, the HZZO covers glass-ionomer fillings, and those who want a composite filling pay the price difference themselves. The amount of the top-up will depend on the price list of the individual practice and the size of the filling.
