To proactively address the issue of mercury in bloodstream and the risk of mercury poisoning during the procedure, removing amalgam fillings involves a carefully planned procedure.
After carefully removing the decay, the dentist isolates the tooth with a rubber dam or cotton rolls. If the cavity involves the proximal (side) part of the tooth, a matrix band is used to create perfect contact with the adjacent tooth. A high-volume suction device in the patients’ mouth, all to prevent any excess mercury vapour being re-ingested.
The inside of the cavity is then etched with the tool for about 10-15 seconds. This tool, a dental etchant, is then thoroughly washed with water spray for 5-10 seconds and dried gently to achieve a matt dry surface. A bonding agent is then applied to the inside of the cavity and thoroughly rubbed inside the cavity walls. It is then gently blown dry on for 5-10 seconds for the solvents to evaporate.
The next step is to cure it with an LED dental light and set the bonding agent. This curing light is generally blue with a narrow spectrum of 400-500 nanometre in range.
Once the bond application is finished, the cavity is then ready to accommodate composite resin in small increments with a flowable/packable quality. Once the desired shape is achieved, the dentist removes the isolation and trim the filling to give it an ideal shape to match the appearance/bite of your teeth.
A ‘silver’ or mercury filling is usually removed in quadrants, which means there is a removal of all the amalgams in a quarter of the mouth at a time as an added safety precaution.