Is It Safe to Remove Mercury Fillings?

I have a mercury filling I want to get rid of.  When I spoke with my dentist about it, he said it was less safe to remove them than to just leave them in. Is that true?

Addy – Wisconsin

Addy,

Removing amalgam fillings does release mercury vapors. That would be quite bad for you. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get your mercury fillings removed. You’ll just need to go to the right dentist.

Generally, a mercury free dentist will know how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. Talk to some in your area. Ask them what precautions they take when removing amalgam fillings. They should be able to tell you exactly what they do to keep you from inhaling the vapors.

While you likely only have to remove them if they’re leaking. Don’t feel pressured to keep them in either.

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