Safe Amalgam Removal

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Amalgam fillings, also known as mercury fillings, should never be removed without adequate testing and safety precautions.  Amalgam fillings are approximately 50% mercury. Mercury, in all forms, is a deadly poison.  Patients are becoming more aware of this poison in their mouth and are asking their dentists to remove these fillings. In many cases, the patient and the dentist are not aware of the potential dangers in the removal of mercury fillings. Removing even one filling from people who are already ill, or near their toxic threshold, can make the individual sick unless the practitioner takes proper steps before, during, and after mercury amalgam removal.

Amalgam fillings are the primary source of mercury burden in the average person.  Amalgam removal is the necessary first step in helping a patient who is mercury toxic.

Prior to amalgam removal, we evaluate how your body is currently handling the poison it has already absorbed.  The issue is never just mercury; it is other heavy metals as well as various toxins such as pesticides, chemicals, solvents, and mold. Energetic testing for these multiple toxins is performed. We assess whether your tissues are blocked with toxins to the point where you cannot adequately excrete mercury and whether your kidneys can handle the extra mercury burden upon amalgam removal. Cooperation with your physician or complementary health care provider is also helpful.

Besides measuring the body’s toxicity threshold, we want to ensure that the body is working efficiently and regularly.  The bowel is the primary excretory route for mercury, so it is essential that a patient’s elimination system be functioning properly before we begin the process of removal.  Once the constant low-level source of mercury is removed, the body starts a process of detoxification; the mercury that is released must be able to leave the body rapidly and completely.  Part of the pre-removal preparations might include vitamins, minerals, and other supplements as well as homeopathic remedies. Appointments for amalgam removal are scheduled according the body’s seven-day immune system cycle. The immune system is less likely to tolerate another insult on the 7th, 14th, or 21st day from the initial removal appointment.

During the removal process, several precautions are necessary for the patient, including a nose mask for breathing oxygen, a rubber dam to isolate the teeth being treated from the rest of the mouth, a lot of water coming from the drill, and special high-speed suction.  The rubber dam also prevents pieces of the filling from going into the mouth. To decrease the amount of vapor, we section the amalgam out in chunks as opposed to grinding it out.  We use an electric drill for two reasons:  First, because it cuts so much more efficiently than an air turbine. Second, because it turns at slower revolutions per minute, there is less chance of heating the tooth, and therefore, it is rare that a tooth will die after mercury removal.  We also use air filters in the treatment rooms to reduce the amount of mercury vapors.

Vitamin C’s antioxidant effects help to minimize the impact of mercury entering the bloodstream.  Intravenous Vit C is available in our office.

Generally, it is best to get all of the mercury out as quickly as possible – the longer the process, the more stressful it is for the patient, both mentally and physically.

By removing mercury from the mouth, you are getting rid of the primary source of mercury exposure, but it is not the end of the process.  Learn more about detoxification after mercury amalgam removal.

Read More:

Caution Regarding Mercury Removal

The Science of Mercury (silver fillings)

 

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