There are a number of reasons why you may wish to have your amalgam fillings removed and replaced with a metal-free, tooth-coloured material.

At Delicate Dentistry we have not used amalgam for over 20 years, because the alternative composite and glass ionomer materials are adhesive (which allows for less drilling in many situations), free from mercury, and look entirely natural.

We take the following precautions when removing amalgams:

We always use a rubber dam for amalgam removal, and for the placement of the new filling, as this also aids best quality work.
As standard we cover your neck and torso with a plastic bib, and eyes with goggles. We can also, if you wish, cover more of your face with wads of gauze and/or tissues.
We have a powerful extractor fan and the window is kept open. If required, we can have pure oxygen for you to breathe.
High-volume suction is used during drilling.
There is constant copious water spray during drilling.
The amalgam is cut out in chunks where possible to reduce production of mercury vapour, using drill bits which are specifically designed to reduce mercury release.
We use a combination of glass ionomers and composite for fillings. These are entirely metal-free and cause the least irritation to the tooth.

There is always a small chance of damage to adjacent teeth or the enamel around the filling. In practice, this is avoided because of the contrast in colour between metal fillings and tooth substance, and because amalgam does not adhere to tooth. We use a scaler to carefully remove the area of amalgam closest to the edge and we believe that there is normally no damage to healthy tooth.

You may wish to consider taking these supplements around the time of the removal of amalgams: Chlorella, activated charcoal, vitamin C, selenium, coriander.