Have you ever heard of the Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique (SMART)? Well, if you haven’t you’re going to now.
Dental experts fully recommend the extraction of dental amalgams of silver, or mercury, from the teeth of patients. This one of our top holistic dentistry procedures.
Formerly they were placed as a filling to replace a missing tooth or part of it, but it turns out to be a toxic material, and extremely harmful to the health of the patient, besides not being aesthetic if it is insight. For this reason, in American Dental, dental fillings are made of composite and porcelain, a much more aesthetic and safe material.
As we now know, it is not advisable to have amalgam fillings in the mouth. As a patient, you can be poisoned because of the overexposure to varying amounts of this metal in your diet. Intoxication may also be due to the use of silver dental amalgam with mercury. All forms of intoxication are cumulative and can contribute to the body’s mercury load.
There are three main reasons why you should consider going SMART:
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Because it’s safe
In American Dental we carry out the Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique, according to the protocol of action that is internationally known for this procedure; to avoid the inhalation of mercury vapors during its withdrawal, in order to minimize any additional exposure to our patients. To perform a safe extraction of amalgams, the specialist, and his assistant perform all work with the disposable material. The double-mask, the safety goggles, and the mask or security screen that can be worn during the operation, are thrown when finished. In addition, the room must have a ventilation pathway to prevent health problems arising from breathing the accumulation of mercury in the air. For his part, the patient will receive nasal goggles to have an alternative oxygen source. As the only Mercury Safe practitioner in Costa Rica, Dr. Vargas -one of America Dental’s specialists-, understands the pains that patients feel when trying to liberate themselves from mercury poisoning and chronic infections. So you don’t have to worry about a thing during the procedure, thanks to his expertise.
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Because it’s easy
In our clinic, we have the required experience to perform this intervention. The patient will lie down in the seat, the safest position. For the extraction of amalgams, a rubber dam will be used to isolate the tooth from the rest of the denture, and two high-speed aspirators will be placed: one to suck the saliva and the other to collect the remains of mercury or silver. The dentist will clean the area while performing the extraction so that the patient does not accidentally swallow or leave any remaining mercury in the mouth. The area where the dental amalgams are removed will be kept cool, and local anesthesia will be applied, except in the palatal and lingual areas, so that the specialist of our dental clinic in Escazú, San José, Costa Rica, can supervise how the patient swallows saliva without a problem.
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Because it’s affordable
The cost to remove an old amalgam filling and replace it can vary because of the extension of the work and the materials that may be necessary. But, you should expect it to fall somewhere between $115 and $250.
Coming to a conclusion about going SMART is something only you can do. So, educate yourself as much as possible, using the input of your physician and well-researched medical sites to help you get there.
When it really comes down to it, the decision as to whether to leave in or switch out amalgam fillings with composite or porcelain is up to your doctor. Your X-rays, the health of your gum tissue, and your teeth and bone structure will inform your dentist as to what’s best for you. After all, your teeth as unique as you are!
To learn more about the Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique options and prices, give Dr. Ignacio Vargas a call at our Escazú, San José, area practice, in Costa Rica!
You can write him an e-mail as well: dr.vargas@americadental.com or just contact us through our form.