SMART · IAOMT · Huggins-Trained
Mercury Amalgam Removal
Silver amalgam fillings are roughly 50% mercury, and drilling them out carelessly releases vapor and particulate exactly when protection matters most. Dr. Zadeh is SMART-certified by the IAOMT and Huggins Alliance trained. So removal at our office follows a strict, safety-first protocol from the first minute to the last rinse.
The safe-removal protocol, step by step
Every element below exists for one reason: keeping mercury out of you, out of our team, and out of the water supply while your old fillings come out.
01Preparation & isolation
You’re draped with full protective covering, and the tooth is isolated with a non-latex dental dam so nothing is swallowed or absorbed during the procedure.
02Clean air to breathe
You breathe filtered air or oxygen through a nasal mask while high-volume filtration scrubs the operatory air around us.
03Cool, sectioned removal
The filling is kept cool with copious water and removed in large sections at low speed. Minimizing the vapor and fine particles that heat and grinding create.
04Capture at the source
High-volume suction with a specialized extra-oral aerosol capture unit works right at the tooth, while an amalgam separator keeps mercury out of the wastewater.
05Thorough clean-up
Once the amalgam is out, everything is rinsed and evacuated thoroughly, protective barriers are removed, and the tooth is ready for its healthier replacement.
06Biocompatible restoration
The tooth is rebuilt with a metal-free material matched to you. Ideally guided by compatibility testing and placed with our biomimetic, tooth-conserving technique.
Why patients choose removal
Reasons vary. All of them are respected here, and none are pushed.
Health concerns
Wanting mercury-based material out of the body, especially with sensitivities or ongoing health work.
Failing fillings
Old amalgams expand, contract, and crack teeth over decades. Replacement becomes restorative, not just elective.
Galvanic effects
Mixed metals in one mouth can create small electrical currents. A metallic taste, tingling, or odd sensitivity. A mercury vapor test helps quantify it.
Aesthetics
Trading dark metal for layered, tooth-colored restorations that disappear into your smile.
Considering removal? Start with a conversation.
Dr. Zadeh will walk you through your options, including doing nothing, with zero pressure.