Amalgam replacement
About dental amalgam fillings
 Did you know that
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The 'silver' fillings in your teeth really consist of 50% mercury, with other metals such as tin,
zinc, copper and silver making up the balance, or 'amalgam' of metals?
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Mercury is one of the most toxic substances on the planet? - more toxic than arsenic, lead and cadmium
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All unused, left over dental amalgam is considered toxic waste and has to be specially stored due to the mercury content - yet is considered 'safe' by some dentists and professional bodies when placed in your
mouth? |
Scientific evidence
Over the years scientists have accumulated a formidable body of evidence, establishing that:
- amalgam releases significant amounts of mercury over the lifetime of a filling;
- the mercury distributes to tissues around the body, and is the biggest source of
the mercury burden in the body;
- the mercury from amalgam crosses the placenta and into breast milk, resulting in significant pre- and
post-partum exposures for infants; and
- adverse physiological changes occur from that exposure on the immune system, kidneys, reproductive
organs and brain, as well as the oral and intestinal flora.
Read more in 'The scientific case against amalgam' published by The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology.
The biocompatible alternative approach
For these reasons at Lotus Dental we are firmly of the opinion that dental mercury amalgams should not be used as
a filling material, and Dr Prue King personally has not placed an amalgam filling for over 16 years. There are better
alternatives available today from a functional, aesthetic and biocompatible standpoint and these can be chosen to
suit the individual circumstance.
Materials that we use include composite resin, porcelain, zirconium (all tooth-coloured) and gold.
Biocompatibility testing can be done on all the individual materials we would like to use to ensure they will not
cause the individual an adverse reaction when 'implanted' into the mouth.
We also work with holistic doctors and naturopaths to provide a mercury detoxification programme for those people
wanting to have their existing amalgam fillings replaced and the mercury chelated from where it is stored in the
body. It is not advisable to have this done until all the amalgam fillings have been removed as the chelation
process can draw more mercury out of the fillings and increase the body's burden of mercury.
 Safety first
 Mercury
is so toxic that when removing mercury amalgam fillings we follow the protocol recommended by the International
Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) to minimise the amount of exposure to mercury for
the patient, dentist and assistants.
We use lots of water, high volume evacuation, rubber dam covering
the teeth and a separate air supply.
The dentist and assistants use special filters and masks to protect
themselves from repeated exposure to mercury.
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An amalgam replacement programme for you
Please contact our office to arrange an appointment if you would like to find out more about reducing the amount
of mercury in your life. We will help design a programme based on your individual needs, general health and
desired timeframe.
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