Shorts - Amalgam Filling Removal

No matter how careful a dentist is, amalgam removal exposes patients and staff to mercury vapor and particulates. Biological dentists, who are aware of the metal's toxicity, have developed strategies to lessen this exposure. Stephen M. Koral, DMD discusses various barrier and ventilation techniques in an article on the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) web site.

IAOMT began in 1984, when 13 dentists decided to look for scientific evidence of mercury amalgam toxicity or, if such research was unavailable, to sponsor research that investigated its possible dangers. Since that time, IAOMT has grown to include 500 active members in North America. It has also sponsored or co-sponsored research that documents mercury release from amalgams and its movement to various body organs, mercury's destructive effect on nerve and brain tissue, and links between occupational mercury exposure and neurological and behavioral problems in dentists and their staff.

For the most part, Koral's suggestions have not been experimentally tested, but patients report fewer episodes of illnesses when these techniques are used. Because increasing the amalgam’s surface area means that more mercury vapor will be released, Koral recommends removing an amalgam in large chunks. Grinding the filling into countless small particles increases the metal’s surface area and the amount of mercury vapor that will escape. Grinding also increases the likelihood that amalgam particulates can be inhaled deep into the lungs where they will be broken down and absorbed within a few days. Slicing the filling under a constant water spray further reduces the production of mercury vapor because it lessens temperature. A 1991 study by C.L. Chew and colleagues reports that finished amalgam (on the bench) at body temperature emits up to 43.5 micrograms of mercury vapor per square centimeter of surface area per day, for extended periods of time. In its guidelines concerning mercury consumption in food, the EPA set the maximum safe level at one microgram a day for every 22 pounds (one kilogram) of body weight.

While dental dams are useful, they do not prevent exposure to mercury vapor nor guarantee that particulates cannot enter the lungs or slip down the throat. Koral says, “[the] best tool for removing mercury vapor and amalgam particulates from the operating field is [a] high volume evacuation” that discharges outdoors. In addition, both patient and dental staff benefit from breathing through positive pressure respiration devices to lessen exposure to mercury vapor and particulates further.

Even with the most elaborate precautions, some patients experience no health improvements or have negative reactions to amalgam removal, according to Savely Yurkovsky, MD. Yurkovsky says that biological dentists need to understand that mercury exposure may be just one part of the problem. If the liver, lymphatics, immune system, and/or excretory system are weak, removing amalgams can cause a health crisis. He has had patients react very negatively to amalgam removal, despite a dentist’s best precautions. Dr. Yurkovsky has developed a step-by-step procedure using energetic bio-resonance testing and homeopathic detoxification and organ support called FCT® (Field Control Therapy) to avoid negative reactions to filling removal and replacement.

Koral SM. Safe Removal of Amalgam fillings. Available at www.iaomt.org/articles/category_view.asp?intReleaseID=271&catid=30. Accessed March 14, 2007.

Waldman P. Mercury and Tuna: US Advice Leaves Lots of Questions. The Wall Street Journal. August 1, 2005; A1, A5.

Yurkovsky S. Biological Dentistry – Holistic Dentistry. Available at www.yurkovsky.com/amalgam.html. Accessed March 14. 2007.