[SmellsLikemonkey]

What's the name of the procedure where metal fillings are safely removed? I think they might contain mercury so I need this done ASAP.

[NYCGP]

Originally Posted by SmellsLikemonkey

What's the name of the procedure where metal fillings are safely removed? I think they might contain mercury so I need this done ASAP.

Just saw a dentist yesterday after my crown fell out... I decided to go to find a new one in the city. Guy I found is awesome. He showed me pics of some of my old silver fillings and they are pretty corroded. (Which is normal because they are only supposed to last 10 years.) Mine are about 12 years old. Got a new crown put in because the old one didn't even fit properly which is why it fell out. My old dentist is.. well... old and wasn't doing a very good job. But I sorta knew this before I went to this new dentist. He just confirmed what I already knew. If you are near the city I can give you the name of my new guy. Or you can just do a simple google search and find any one of the 100's of dentists available.

[SmellsLikemonkey]

Yeah pm me after my account is upgraded. Don't have insurance a how much it will cost? My fillings are like 20+ years old.

[NYCGP]

Originally Posted by SmellsLikemonkey

Yeah pm me after my account is upgraded. Don't have insurance a how much it will cost? My fillings are like 20+ years old.

I don't know exactly. But, I would assume it wouldn't be less than a couple hundred a tooth.

[boymonkey]

I had one done last month, paid around $120. There's the official rate that they can claim, then there's a lower rate if you pay yourself.

[Carolinagirl]

You are wanting composite fillings placed.

[Carolinagirl]

Also, the price depends on how many surfaces are involved. They can be over 200 easily. There is a thing called Care Credit which is no interest financing for a certain period of time. It's worth it, amalgams hide decay, and can cause your teeth to fracture. It's best to have them replaced.

[infinitekidM2C]

Just drive down Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles...those effers will fall out by themselves!

[4nroots]

Originally Posted by carolina1ergirl

It's worth it, amalgams hide decay, and can cause your teeth to fracture. It's best to have them replaced.

Are you a dentist? If so, what dental school did you go to, because you need to be reported to the authorities! I can only assume you WORK in a dental office as a receptionist or an assistant based on you wrote. Your claim that amalgam fillings hide decay/fracture teeth is about the furthest thing from the truth I have ever heard, and is highly irresponsible to be posting in a public forum. Dentists who recommend replacement of amalgam fillings for white (composite) fillings just for the sake of replacing them with a 'safer' alternative are doing you a great disservice. You are going to release far more free mercury by replacing perfectly good amalgam fillings with composite ones. The only person who benefits in this situation is the dentist and his/her pocketbook. And hey, guess what? Many Composite fillings have bisphenol A in them....remember that lovely little carcinogenic compound?

I actually am a dentist, have been for about 11 years. Here is what I have found in my career.

1. Silver fillings DO NOT hide decay. If the decay is obvious, then it will be found by a competent practitioner clinically, or by x-ray.

2. A Silver filling will last a lot longer than a comparable white one. Plain and simple. In my experience, based on what I have seen from my own work and that of others, white fillings last about half as long. This is not to say that white fillings can't last the course, I am speaking in general terms

3. The placement of white fillings is extremely technique sensitive, and if your dentist is in a rush, or doesn't have sufficient hand skills, then you are getting an inferior result

4. White fillings cost about 30-40% more than their silver counterparts, so a lot of marketing towards replacing your silver fillings with white ones is basically directed at making more money

5. Several studies across the world have shown that you should not replace your silver fillings UNLESS THEY ARE BROKEN OR DECAYED. Studies have shown that the amount of mercury you are exposed to from your fillings is less than the amount that most people are exposed to in their daily environment or in the food they eat.

6. Amalgams do NOT fracture teeth. Is your boss telling you this? Take a look at this link:

http://www.dentalwatch.org/hg/myths101.html

I am not against white fillings at all, in fact I use them much more in daily practice than silver ones. But to say that they should be replaced without a good reason is irresponsible. You need to retract your statement

[SmellsLikemonkey]

Thanks for you insight but my fillings are broken or decayed. I have had them for over 20 years so my question was how are silver fillings removed safely as opposed to unsafely and what is the procedure called?

[boymonkey]

That person never claimed to be a dentist or work at a dental office.
On a related note, my tooth with a silver filling did break, and instead of patching it up, I decided to get the silver filling replaced with white filling. It was a three surface job.

[boymonkey]

Originally Posted by SmellsLikemonkey

Thanks for you insight but my fillings are broken or decayed. I have had them for over 20 years so my question was how are silver fillings removed safely as opposed to unsafely and what is the procedure called?

Just say you want silver filling replaced with white filling. That's how I got it done. Since it's cosmetic I don't know if there's an official name for it.

[Carolinagirl]

Originally Posted by 4nroots

Are you a dentist? If so, what dental school did you go to, because you need to be reported to the authorities! I can only assume you WORK in a dental office as a receptionist or an assistant based on you wrote. Your claim that amalgam fillings hide decay/fracture teeth is about the furthest thing from the truth I have ever heard, and is highly irresponsible to be posting in a public forum. Dentists who recommend replacement of amalgam fillings for white (composite) fillings just for the sake of replacing them with a 'safer' alternative are doing you a great disservice. You are going to release far more free mercury by replacing perfectly good amalgam fillings with composite ones. The only person who benefits in this situation is the dentist and his/her pocketbook. And hey, guess what? Many Composite fillings have bisphenol A in them....remember that lovely little carcinogenic compound?

I actually am a dentist, have been for about 11 years. Here is what I have found in my career.

1. Silver fillings DO NOT hide decay. If the decay is obvious, then it will be found by a competent practitioner clinically, or by x-ray.

2. A Silver filling will last a lot longer than a comparable white one. Plain and simple. In my experience, based on what I have seen from my own work and that of others, white fillings last about half as long. This is not to say that white fillings can't last the course, I am speaking in general terms

3. The placement of white fillings is extremely technique sensitive, and if your dentist is in a rush, or doesn't have sufficient hand skills, then you are getting an inferior result

4. White fillings cost about 30-40% more than their silver counterparts, so a lot of marketing towards replacing your silver fillings with white ones is basically directed at making more money

5. Several studies across the world have shown that you should not replace your silver fillings UNLESS THEY ARE BROKEN OR DECAYED. Studies have shown that the amount of mercury you are exposed to from your fillings is less than the amount that most people are exposed to in their daily environment or in the food they eat.

6. Amalgams do NOT fracture teeth. Is your boss telling you this? Take a look at this link:

http://www.dentalwatch.org/hg/myths101.html

I am not against white fillings at all, in fact I use them much more in daily practice than silver ones. But to say that they should be replaced without a good reason is irresponsible. You need to retract your statement

Do you feel better now?

[SmellsLikemonkey]

Originally Posted by boymonkey

Just say you want silver filling replaced with white filling. That's how I got it done. Since it's cosmetic I don't know if there's an official name for it.

Yeah but removing the fillings supposedly cause vapor which can be harmful so what I wanted to know is how do they remove them safely and what it's called so I can find a dentist that can help.

[4nroots]

Originally Posted by carolina1ergirl

Do you feel better now?

Yep

[4nroots]

Originally Posted by boymonkey

That person never claimed to be a dentist or work at a dental office.
On a related note, my tooth with a silver filling did break, and instead of patching it up, I decided to get the silver filling replaced with white filling. It was a three surface job.

True they didn't...I realize my tone may have been harsh, but this person made an unfounded statement. This particular topic pisses me off as I feel that many dentists are out to make as much money as possible without proper concern for what is best for the patient. That was my only beef. There is a lot of misinformation about good science these days (vaccines come to mind as an example). I am sure Carolina1ergirl is a lovely person....no hard feelings

[4nroots]

Originally Posted by SmellsLikemonkey

Yeah but removing the fillings supposedly cause vapor which can be harmful so what I wanted to know is how do they remove them safely and what it's called so I can find a dentist that can help.

Get the dentist to use a rubber dam

[M3Bahn]

Originally Posted by 4nroots

True they didn't...I realize my tone may have been harsh, but this person made an unfounded statement. This particular topic pisses me off as I feel that many dentists are out to make as much money as possible without proper concern for what is best for the patient. That was my only beef. There is a lot of misinformation about good science these days (vaccines come to mind as an example). I am sure Carolina1ergirl is a lovely person....no hard feelings

What do you think of porcelain inlays?

[boymonkey]

Originally Posted by SmellsLikemonkey

Yeah but removing the fillings supposedly cause vapor which can be harmful so what I wanted to know is how do they remove them safely and what it's called so I can find a dentist that can help.

Really? Damn! Mine was just drilled and dug away I think.