Mercury Free Dentistry

Should I Have My Amalgam Fillings Removed?

The IAOMT (International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology) thinks that you should.

Why you might ask?

"Mercury is the most toxic, non-radioactive element on the earth. Published research demonstrates that mercury is more toxic than lead, cadmium or arsenic. Mercury accumulates in the body with long term low level exposure, and no amount of exposure to mercury can be considered harmless." – IAOMT

"Adverse health effects from mercury exposure can be: tremors, impaired vision and hearing, paralysis, insomnia, emotional instability, developmental deficits during fetal development, and attention deficit and developmental delays during childhood. Recent studies suggest that mercury may have no threshold below which some adverse effects do not occur." – World Health Organization Policy Paper, 2005

At Dr. Korol Dental, our Calgary dentists believe in educating our patients so that they can make the best treatment decisions for themselves. We employ a safe mercury-removal technique to ensure that dental amalgams are removed as safely as possible, with the least amount of mercury exposure to our patients and staff.

Amalgam can pose many dangers to:

• Your oral health - Amalgam is harder and denser than your natural tooth structure. Over time, it creates micro-cracks in the tooth which can cause the tooth to fracture, thus requiring more dental work in the long run
• Dental workers - Dentists exposed to mercury on a daily basis are at a higher risk of suffering from reproductive harm
• Your overall health - Vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant women and patients with kidney impairments are particularly susceptible to the neurotoxic effects of dental mercury found in amalgam fillings.
• The environment - Dental mercury from amalgam pollutes our water, air and land, threatening our environment and ultimately our health.

What Can I Do?

The first step to having a mercury-free mouth is to speak to your local dentist about treatment options that work for you. Our team follows the safest amalgam removal procedures set up by the IAOMT to reduce any mercury exposure and protect the health of you and your loved ones.

Amalgam Removal Process

During the amalgam removal process, there are a number of precautions that must be followed in order to minimize mercury exposure to the patient, dentist and dental assistant.

Learn More: SMART Protocol

The procedure is as follows:

Keep the fillings cool

Mercury amalgam removal has to be conducted in a cool environment. Copious amounts of water is utilized to reduce heat and a conventional high volume suction device is used to capture mercury discharges

Protection

• External oxygen is given to the patient via nasal cannula.
• An oral aerosol vacuum is placed within 2-4 inches from the patient’s mouth to mitigate exposure to mercury vapor.
• The dentist and dental assistant will wear protective masks.

Isolate Treatment Area

A rubber dam made of nitrile is used during the removal process to prevent inhalation of the mercury vapor or ingestion of particulate.

Keep Treatment Area Mercury-Free

The amalgam should be sectioned into chunks and removed in as large of pieces as possible using a small diameter carbide drill.

Amalgam Alternatives in Calgary

Our team is always available to educate you on all your treatment options including amalgam alternatives such as porcelain or composite restorations. During a comprehensive consultation, our dentists can help you understand the entire scope of treatment, what alternatives your have to replace your amalgam fillings and help make a decision about which treatment plan is best for YOU.