Mercury Filling Removal

Older amalgam or “silver” fillings often contain mercury, and can cause problems for the patient when it comes time to remove or replace them. Our office is mercury-free and has strict processes in place to contain mercury exposure and safely remove such fillings with no adverse effects.

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Mercury Filling Removal Santa Rosa

Mercury is Toxic.

If you’ve received an amalgam filling, it is composed of silver, tin, copper and mercury, which is toxic to the body.

We're Trained in Mercury Removal Safety.

Our office team is specially trained in mercury filling removal. We use special masks and protective materials to safely remove and dispose of mercury fillings.

Replace Your Fillings with Safer Alternatives.

Our office is proudly mercury-free. We offer a number of safe, modern filling alternatives to replace your old fillings.

Remove toxic mercury fillings

Many older dental fillings contain mercury as part of the materials they were made from, but in recent years, dental mercury has become a topic of concern regarding patient health. Mercury in all forms is toxic, and when these older fillings need to be removed and replaced, they can pose a risk to both patient and dental professionals as they release mercury vapor.

What fillings contain mercury?

Often called “silver” fillings for their silvery color, amalgam fillings are a longstanding method of filling cavities, and are typically the cheapest option available to patients. In fact, that silvery color comes from liquid mercury used in the amalgam material, which also includes an alloy of other metals, such as silver, tin, and copper. These fillings are long-lasting, and don’t degrade over time or leak mercury into your body.

But, when they need to be removed because of additional tooth decay or other tooth issues, patients sometimes report adverse reactions or falling sick after amalgam filling removal. In order to remove these fillings safely, Dr. McCormick has undertaken specialized training, which allows us to offer our patients a safe method of removing mercury-containing fillings.

We're a Mercury-Free Dental Practice

We are a mercury-free dental office, and as a mercury-free dentist, Dr. McCormick is acutely aware of the potential for excess mercury exposure when removing amalgam fillings. There are a number of strategies for preventing mercury exposure to both patients and dental staff during amalgam removal.

These include draping our patients to prevent any skin exposure, using an oxygen mask over the patient’s nose to keep mercury vapor out of their airway, using dental barriers during removal to prevent swallowing any particles, and using high-speed suction to vacuum any mercury vapor. Our team also wears protective breathing equipment to avoid mercury inhalation. These are the most up-to-date procedures for mercury filling removal, and we are always making an effort to stay current with new developments in keeping our office mercury-free.

When we replace fillings, you can also be assured we don’t use amalgam containing mercury as a filling material. Instead, we use composite resin, gold, or porcelain fillings, depending on the patient and the tooth. Dr. McCormick will discuss the options available with each patient and help choose the right material for the situation.

Schedule a consultation today

Do you need mercury fillings removed? Let us safely remove those fillings with the most up to date procedures. Contact us to set up a consultation today.

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About Dr. Andrew McCormick:

Dr. Andrew T. McCormick is a native Californian originally from Monterey County. He graduated from U.S.C. school of dentistry and subsequently opened his practice in Santa Rosa, finding Sonoma County to be an ideal place to locate.

Learning more about the connection between dentistry, medicine, and medications and environmental toxins is of particular interest to Dr. McCormick because he sees the effects of these on his patients. Because of this, he has sought out non-traditional and progressive educations. Some of these groups have recently been the American Academy of Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH) and the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT).

One of Dr. McCormick’s interests is involvement in the community. He was an early participant in Leadership Santa Rosa and now he sits on the board for PDI, a dental clinic in Windsor for underprivileged children. In January 2010, he became an accredited member of AACD, one of 350 dentists worldwide, after extensive work to raise his level of expertise in cosmetic and rehabilitative dentistry. Click here to read more about Dr. McCormick.