There is a mountain of evidence outlining the potential dangers of mercury. The dentists at East Lyme Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, located in East Lyme, CT, Dr. Joseph Palumbo, Dr. Sami Yousuf, and Dr. Michael LaGuardia, recognize the importance of mercury removal and your risks of mercury poisoning from amalgam fillings.
What Are Mercury Fillings?
Mercury fillings are the most commonly used material for cavity fillings in the United States. Mercury fillings are also known as silver fillings, and they contain 50% mercury. Having that much mercury in your mouth can be risky.
Mercury fillings are also known as:
- Amalgam fillings
- Silver fillings
- Mercury amalgam fillings
- Silver amalgam fillings
- Dental amalgam fillings
Do Dentists Still Use Mercury Fillings?
Many dentists still use mercury in fillings today, despite the risk of mercury toxicity. The reason is that they are legal in our country, even though they can expose patients to poisonous mercury vapors.
Mercury toxicity is a dangerous disease that affects your nervous system causing tremors, dementia, anxiety, depression, and irritability.
Why Should You Have Mercury Fillings Removed?
Before removing your amalgam fillings, it is best to consult your dentist first since not everyone is a candidate for the procedure. It is best to have them removed because simple activities of daily living, such as brushing your teeth, drinking a hot beverage, or grinding your teeth, can lead to the release of mercury vapors.
A more cosmetic reason to have your mercury fillings removed would be because they are not aesthetically pleasing—the metallic color of amalgam fillings draws unwanted attention to your dental health.
Safe Mercury Removal
Like Dr. Palumbo, Dr. Yousuf, and Dr. LaGuardia, in East Lyme, CT, a qualified dentist can offer you a safe removal of a mercury filling. The procedure uses a method called SMART, which stands for Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique. The SMART way includes:
- Using an amalgam separator to collect mercury amalgam waste material keeping it from being released into the air.
- Each procedure room contains a high-volume air filtration system to remove mercury vapor and amalgam particles.
- Whenever possible, windows are opened.
- The patient also rinses with a solution containing charcoal or other absorbents before removing the amalgam fillings.
- A dental dam is placed on the patient to have mercury and amalgam particles contained during the removal.
- A full-body covering is applied to protect it from particles of mercury.
If you'd like to learn more about mercury removal from a dentist you can trust, call the dentists at East Lyme Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Palumbo, Dr. Sami Yousuf, or Dr. LaGuardia, at their office located in East Lyme, CT. They can be reached for an appointment today at (860) 739-3447.