My dentist doesn’t want to remove my silver mercury fillings because they are only 3 years old. He says that when they are worn out he will replace them with white fillings. I am very serious about not having mercury fillings in my mouth. How do I convince my dentist to remove them? Thanks. D.R.
D.R. – You can ask your dentist again to remove the mercury fillings, and explain why it’s so important to you to have them removed. If your dentist doesn’t agree to remove them, consider having them removed by another dentist.
Many dentists only place composite fillings. They are also willing to remove amalgam (silver) fillings even if they are new. The fillings are carefully removed to avoid exposing you to mercury vapor.
Your face and lips will be protected. Each affected tooth will be isolated. Amalgam fillings will be removed in chunks, kept cool, and removed with high suction to control the release of mercury. Throughout the process the tooth will be rinsed and the air evacuated to remove amalgam particles and mercury vapor.
After the fillings are moved, each tooth will be thoroughly cleaned and prepared for composite fillings. After the composite is applied to a tooth it will be light cured and hardened. The composite will be shaped and polished to a natural-looking finish. Your white fillings will blend in with your natural teeth, and people won’t notice them.
This post is sponsored by Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Steven Collins.