Safe Amalgam Fillings Removal Protocols

At Cahill Dental Care, the doctors realize that the controversy regarding mercury and amalgam fillings is not going to be resolved in the next several years so they have adopted a pragmatic mercury free and safe approach that will protect patients and office staff by instituting the following protocols:

◦Per the mercury free IAOMT protocol all restorations are removed using the “Cool, Cut and Chunk” technique in a mercury free and safe environment. Water spray keeps mercury fillings cool during removal to reduce mercury release. Cutting fillings into large chunks speeds removal and limits quantities of mercury vapor that would be released if the entire filling mass were pulverized.

◦High volume intra oral suction is used immediately adjacent to the tooth.

◦A high capacity extra oral scavenger is used near the patient’s mouth to pull large amounts of air across the work area and away from the patient.

◦External air exchangers control ambient air quality by circulating outside air and discharging outside the building.

◦Bio-compatible tooth colored restorations are used to repair damage caused by decay (cavities) on all children and all adults meeting established criteria.

◦CEREC Same-Day porcelain onlays and inlays are available for badly damaged teeth or for patients desiring a more permanent restoration than composite materials can provide.

For “mercury sensitive” patients, patients instructed to have amalgam removal due to high blood stream or urine levels, or simply by patient request, we also employ:

◦Rubber dam barriers to prevent amalgam particle ingestion.

◦High power suction on the patient side of the rubber dam to act as second barrier.

◦Supplemental oxygen for the patient.

◦Surgical drapes to protect the skin from mercury exposure.

◦HgX: an industrial strength mercury binding cream.

◦Mercury chelating (binding) rinses following mercury removal.

Learn more about the Protocols established by the IAOMT