Safe Mercury Removal

Safe Amalgam Removal

There is nothing more important in our dental office than protecting our patients when removing mercury amalgam fillings. While controversy has swirled around the safety of this material for nearly 200 years now, we do know that dental amalgam is 40 to 50% mercury; that mercury vapor escapes from amalgam fillings; that mercury is a toxin.

As of September 24, 2020, “ the FDA has found that certain groups may be at greater risk for potential harmful health effects of mercury vapor released from the device. As a result, the agency is recommending certain high-risk groups avoid getting dental amalgam whenever possible and appropriate.”

At St. Louis’ Rehme Dental Care, we practice mercury-free dentistry. With the availability of alternative materials such as tooth-colored composite, gold alloys, porcelains, and zirconium, why take a chance using a material that could be hazardous to your health?

We also practice mercury-safe dentistry, following the SMART protocol to ensure your safety from unnecessary exposure to this heavy metal. Precautions include

• A nose mask for the patient to breathe oxygen.
• A dental air vacuum system designed to absorb mercury aerosols.
• High-speed suction.
• Copious amounts of water.
• A rubber dam or clean-up device for isolation purposes.

Due to potential complications with the autonomic nervous system, we usually will not remove amalgam fillings on opposite sides of the midline during the same day. While there are always exceptions to the rule, we prefer to have at least one day between left and right side amalgam removal.

If you’re considering amalgam removal, we find it best to remove the mercury in a timely fashion. Patients tend to respond and recover in this protocol much faster, both physically and mentally.