Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal (S.M.A.R.T.) Technique
At Balanced Dental, we help patients recognize the vital connection between dental health and whole-body health. Did you know all silver fillings (also called amalgam fillings) contain about 50% mercury? Did you also know mercury is a highly toxic element? In fact, there is no known safe level of mercury exposure.
Here in the United States, silver fillings are incredibly commonplace and have been used to restore the teeth of more than 100 million Americans. Yet time and time again, research shows that silver dental fillings expose you to the harmful effects of mercury.
So - What is S.M.A.R.T.?
Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal (S.M.A.R.T.) technique is a program designed to protect patients and dental staff from mercury releases during amalgam filling removal. For many decades, dentists have used mercury (amalgam) as a material to fill cavities. Increasingly, people are seeking safe methods to have them removed, and at Balanced Dental, we follow a process that protects your health in every way — and ours.
Step
1
Keep the fillings cool during removal
Drilling out an amalgam filling generates a tremendous amount of heat, which causes a significant increase in the release of mercury, both as a vapor and in amalgam particles, during the entire removal process. Cooling the filling with water and air while drilling substantially reduces the amount of mercury vapor the filling releases.
Step
2
Use a high-volume evacuator/suction
Our practice uses a powerful suction system. This is one of the most important tools in minimizing the patientâs exposure to mercury vapor and amalgam particles. The suction tip should be kept within 1â2 inch of the filling during the entire time the filling is being removed. This helps capture more of the mercury vapor and particles.
Step
3
Use a Rubber Dam
A rubber dam isolates the tooth or teeth being worked on. It was believed that the rubber dam would protect the patient from breathing mercury vapor in through the mouth. We now know that mercury vapor can readily pass through a rubber dam made out of latex, the most commonly used rubber dam material. Many patients have heard that the rubber dam offers a great deal of protection and should absolutely be included as part of the safe removal protocol. If a composite filling is used to replace a mercury amalgam filling, the rubber dam offers an isolated and dry field for placing the composite filling.
Step
4
Remove gloves and clean the patientâs mouth
Once the filling(s) have been removed and replaced, the dentist and the assistant should remove and dispose of their gloves and the rubber dam, and thoroughly rinse and vacuum the patientâs entire mouth for at least 15 seconds. This will help remove amalgam particles and residual mercury vapor from the mouth. The patient should make every effort not to swallow during the rinsing procedure.
Step
5
Immediately clean up
After the fillings have been removed and replaced, the dentist or dental assistant will immediately remove and dispose of the patientâs protective covering and thoroughly clean his face and neck.
Step
6
Filtering air in our office
We then set to work to purify the air in our Balanced Dental office in order to keep us safe (we’re here for a lot longer than you are!) as well as all of our patients and their families.
