How can I get my metal fillings removed safely?
The system our dentists abroad follow when removing mercury amalgam fillings is designed to minimize your exposure to mercury vapor and particles.
Safe Amalgam Filling Removal:
- We keep the fillings cool during removal. Drilling out an amalgam filling generates a tremendous amount of heat, which causes a dramatic increase in the release of mercury, both as a vapor and in amalgam particles, during the entire removal process. Cooling the filling with water and air while drilling dramatically reduces the amount of mercury vapor the filling releases. This involves less drilling, because the dentist only drills enough to cut the filling into chunks, which can then be easily removed by a hand instrument or suction.
- We use a high-volume vacuum evacuator that helps capture the mercury vapor and particles together with a continuous flow of air and water.
- We let lots of fresh air into the surgery which is more important for the dentist and assistant than the average patient.
- We use a rubber dam. A rubber dam isolates the tooth or teeth being worked on. This reduces the amount of mercury vapor inhaled through the mouth and makes it easier to dispose of the filling material and prevent amalgam particles from being swallowed. As long as the patient breathes through the nose, little if any mercury vapor will pass through the rubber dam.
- Metal fillings are usually then replaced with white fillings, inlays / onlays or possibly a crown in the decay is very severe.
Here you can read more about having white fillings abroad.
If you have any more questions about metal filling removal, please feel free to ask in the comments box below.
I am a Nutritional Therapist and author. I have a client who has asked me about safe removal of her mercury fillings here in the UK. As you’re aware, it’s very costly, although the protective measures taken seem to be very good, evenb including mercury detox procedures pre and post treatment in some cases. I would like to know more about your procedures. I am also interested in having my own mercury fillings removed (I think I have about 4 or 5). I am also interested in dentists who use the most bio-compatible replacements. I would be happy to refer my clients to your practice if I am satisfied with your service. Also, my readers (I’ve written several books on health, including #Healthy eating and pollution Protection for Kids’, O Books, 2011).
I would be very grateful for your advice.
Kind regards,
David
Hello David,
Thank you for your comment , mercury fillings as you know have been considered dangerous in the past, and dental nurses used to mix mercury fillings in the dental surgery by themselves (so there was a danger of mercury spillage in dental surgery), but these days instead of mercury fillings are done with amalgam ready pre-mixed in capsules. Use of Amalgam has been authorized by organizations such as the ADA 1931 and FDI 1957.
However Amaglam is not used in most EU countries anymore, we also don’t use amalgam in our clinic,…it has beed replaced with composite fillings, or glass ionomer cement ( white filling ).
Composite fillings have been used since 1955 and they are of no harm to the body.
When our dentist removes your old amalgam fillings he of course follows the general health and safety regulations such as –
good ventilation in dental surgery, ( we prefer an open window instead of air-conditioning) , protective equipment for dentist and his dental assistant (such as mask and goggles) , protective goggles for patient, the dentist uses a high speed drill with a water cooler, the use of rubber dam also is very important, the dental assistant uses a high volume suction tip and most dental chairs these days have separate amalgam separator, where the old amalgam goes after has been removed. A special company collects it when it’s full.
This is how we do it in our dental surgery.
I hope this helps.
If you have any more questions please feel free to contact me directly using the form provided on this website.
Natalia