Procedures for Mercury Filling Removal
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Mercury Fillings
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In recent years, mercury fillings have caused concern for many people. Mercury is considered a toxic substance, yet our silver fillings are an amalgam of mercury, silver, tin, copper and possibly other metals. This amalgam filling was chosen because of its strength and cost effectiveness. The American Dental Association, The Center For Disease Control, and United States Department of Agriculture, have all deemed the mercury amalgam filling safe. However, many people are worried that every time they bite down on their filling, it will leak toxic metals into their system. If you would like to have your mercury fillings removed, you can have a dentist replace them with another substance. Removal can expose you to more of the toxic metal through airborne and swallowed particles, so choose a Dentist that will follow these removal procedures carefully.
Safe Removal Procedures
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Your dentist should give you a local anesthetic for pain. While drilling out the mercury filling, the dentist will have his assistant keep the area cool by constantly spraying water on the tooth. Mercury fillings produce quite a bit of heat when drilled upon, and this releases a toxic vapor, which can be inhaled.
The dentist will not grind the mercury filling to a powder. He will drill it so that it breaks into larger chunks that he can remove with a hand instrument. This will reduce the inhalation of mercury vapor and smaller particles. While all this is being done, the dental assistant will use a high-powered suction system to suck up any bits of mercury amalgam.
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Safe Dental Practices
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You may be provided with an oxygen mask. This will prevent you from breathing toxic mercury vapors. Your dentist will place a rubber dam in your mouth that will catch any mercury amalgam before it drops deep into your throat. If you happen to swallow particles of mercury, the dentist may have you take some activated charcoal. This will bind any small pieces of mercury to it, so that it won't be absorbed into your digestive track.
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